fingertip search: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Formal, technical (legal/police), occasionally journalistic
Quick answer
What does “fingertip search” mean?
A thorough search of a person's body, clothing or belongings by a police officer, typically involving touching and feeling with the hands.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A thorough search of a person's body, clothing or belongings by a police officer, typically involving touching and feeling with the hands.
A meticulous, hands-on examination or investigation of any object, area, or set of data, leaving no part unchecked. It suggests a level of thoroughness akin to the physical police procedure.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, it is a defined legal term with specific procedures. In the US, the equivalent legal concept is often termed a 'pat-down', 'frisk', or 'full search'; 'fingertip search' is rarely used in official American legal lexicon.
Connotations
UK: Specific legal procedure, formal. US: If used, likely understood metaphorically or as a Britishism; lacks the precise legal weight.
Frequency
High frequency in UK police/legal contexts; very low to negligible in general American English.
Grammar
How to Use “fingertip search” in a Sentence
[Officer] conducted a fingertip search of [person/area].[Person] was subjected to a fingertip search.A fingertip search revealed [object].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “fingertip search” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The officer is authorised to search the suspect, but not to 'fingertip search' as a verb; the noun form is used.
American English
- Not used as a verb in US English.
adverb
British English
- The area was searched fingertip (non-standard, but occasionally seen in reports).
American English
- Not used.
adjective
British English
- The suspect underwent a fingertip-search procedure.
- It was a fingertip-search operation in the field.
American English
- Rarely used. 'Pat-down procedure' is standard.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorically, for a detailed audit or review: 'The accounts team will give the Q3 report a fingertip search.'
Academic
Rare. Might appear in criminology or legal studies papers discussing UK police powers.
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation. Might be used metaphorically for looking for a lost item: 'I gave the room a proper fingertip search but couldn't find my keys.'
Technical
Standard term in UK law enforcement and legal documentation specifying a type of search authorised under PACE.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “fingertip search”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “fingertip search”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “fingertip search”
- Using it as a verb (*'They fingertip searched him'). Correct: 'They conducted a fingertip search.'
- Using it to describe an online/internet search.
- Confusing with 'strip search', which is more invasive.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A fingertip search involves running hands over the outside of clothing and feeling items inside pockets/bags. A strip search requires the removal of some or all clothing and is more intrusive, requiring a higher level of authorisation.
It would be considered a metaphorical and somewhat creative extension. While potentially understood, it is not standard. Phrases like 'deep dive', 'exhaustive search', or 'thorough trawl' are more conventional for digital contexts.
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) and its associated Codes of Practice, particularly Code A, govern the powers of 'stop and search', which includes procedures for more thorough searches like the fingertip search.
Not commonly. It is primarily a specialist term used in legal, police, and journalistic reports about crime. The average person would understand it, but they are unlikely to use it in daily conversation unless discussing police procedures.
A thorough search of a person's body, clothing or belongings by a police officer, typically involving touching and feeling with the hands.
Fingertip search is usually formal, technical (legal/police), occasionally journalistic in register.
Fingertip search: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfɪŋɡətɪp sɜːtʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfɪŋɡɚtɪp sɜːrtʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To give something a fingertip search (metaphorical).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a police officer using the TIPS of their FINGERS to feel every inch of a jacket seam during a SEARCH.
Conceptual Metaphor
THOROUGHNESS IS PHYSICAL CONTACT; INVESTIGATION IS MANIPULATION.
Practice
Quiz
In which country is 'fingertip search' a standard term defined in law enforcement legislation?