méar1, f. (gs. méire, npl. ~a, gpl. ~). 1. Digit, finger. (a)An mhéar thosaigh, cholbha, the forefinger, index finger. An mhéar fhada, láir, mheáin, the middle finger. ~ an fháinne, the ring-finger. An mhéar bheag, the little finger. Tá sé ar bharra na ~ aige, he has it at his fingertips. Bhí an choróin Mhuire ar a ~a aici, she was fingering her rosary beads. ~ fhliuch a leagan ar dhuine, to ‘lay a wet finger on’ s.o., to challenge s.o. to fight. F:Cuir do mhéar ansin, put your (wetted) finger there (on wetted finger), accept a challenge to fight. Ná leag barr méire air, don’t lay a finger on him. Leag, bhuail, tú do mhéar air, you have put your finger on it, pointed precisely to it. Rud a chur ar an ~ fhada, to postpone sth. indefinitely. ~ a chur i súil duine, to poke a finger in s.o.’s eye, to hoodwink s.o. S.a. dorcha21. Mura dtaitníonn sé leat cuir ~ i do chluas, if you don’t like it shut your ears to it. Ná bíodh ~ i gcluas agat, keep your ears open. Níor bhain sé ~ dá shrón (go), he kept pressing on (until). Cuir ~ i do bhéal anois, now you may wish in vain; you may whistle for it now. An mhéar a thabhairt do lao, to finger-feed a calf. D’ólfainn gan mhéar é, I wouldn’t need coaxing to drink it. Ná lig dó an mhéar a thabhairt duit, don’t let him inveigle, cheat, you. Bhí sé ag ithe na ~ de féin mar gheall air, he deeply regretted it. Chasfadh sí (thart) ar a ~ (bheag) thú, she would twist you round her (little) finger. ~ ar eolas a dhéanamh do dhuine, to point out the way to s.o.; to give s.o. a pointer to something. ~a ime, maide, butter-fingers. (b)Mus:~ bhinn, sweet touch. (c)Meas: Digit. 2. (a)~ eolais, finger-post. Mec.E:~ threorach, finger. (b)Nau: Belaying-pin. 3. ~ (coise), toe. Chomh minic is atá ~a orm, as often as I have fingers and toes. 4. Crust:Moll:Ech: Leg, arm. ~ portáin, gliomaigh, leg of crab, of lobster. ~a cudail, arms of cuttle-fish. Na cúig ~a, starfish. 5. Bot:~a Muire, Lady’s-fingers. Cúig mhéar Mhuire, creeping cinquefoil. Laund:~a, fluting. 6. Laund:~a, fluting. 7. Cards:Na (cúig) ~a, the five of trumps. (Var:m)
Chomh ~ is atá tú beo, grian ar an aer, méara ort, cluas ar do leiceann, gob ar phréachán, púdar i nDoire, an Cháisc ar an Domhnach! As sure as anything!