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untouchable
[ uhn-tuhch-uh-buhl ]
adjective
- that may not be touched; of a nature such that it cannot be touched; not palpable; intangible.
- too distant to be touched.
- vile or loathsome to the touch.
- beyond criticism, control, or suspicion:
Modern writers consider no subject untouchable.
noun
- Hinduism. the former name given to a member of the lowest castes in India whose touch was believed to defile a high-caste Hindu. Compare Scheduled Caste ( def ).
- a person who is beyond reproach as to honesty, diligence, etc.
- a person disregarded or shunned by society or a particular group; social outcast:
political untouchables.
- a person or thing considered inviolable or beyond criticism:
such untouchables as Social Security in the federal budget.
untouchable
/ ʌˈʌʃəə /
adjective
- lying beyond reach
- above reproach, suspicion, or impeachment
- unable to be touched
noun
- taboo.a former name for Dalit
Usage
Derived Forms
- ܲˌٴdzܳˈٲ, noun
Other Word Forms
- ܲ·ٴdzܳ·· adverb
Word History and Origins
Origin of untouchable1
Example Sentences
Jack Rix, editor of Top Gear, said: "Being there to witness a 20-year-old lap record being shattered – one we thought was untouchable – was an incredible moment."
“This is why Social Security has been kind of viewed as the untouchable from a political perspective, and why the president made very clear we’re not dealing with Social Security.”
But the pace at which Duterte was served an arrest warrant and extradited shows that when political winds shift, those once considered untouchable can find themselves touching down in The Hague.
Hot issues seem untouchable; everyone just wants me to make the call.
“He was one of those untouchable directors,” he says by phone.
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