touch the icon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "touch the icon" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts related to technology, such as instructions for using a touchscreen device or software application. Example: "To open the app, simply touch the icon on your home screen."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Find the Play Store icon on your Android device and touch the icon to open the play store.

Cornell University

Find the App Store icon on your Apple device and touch the icon to open the App store.

Cornell University

We touch the icon to enter the sacred space, genuflecting to reliquaries and ostentatoria that make something splendid of our most secret desires and agonies".

The New York Times

It's quite easy to find all the features once you have scanned in a code; it's quite difficult if you haven't (it turns out you need to touch the icon in the bottom righthand corner).

The Guardian - Money

Then touch the icon and call it what you want.

WikiHow

Then touch the icon and name the trick whatever you please.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Channel logos can also be added to the Harmony One's screen, making channel changing a simple matter of touching the icon.

The New York Times - Tech

"Using an app as a story window is inherently unique from any other platform, we shape the tone from seeing and touching the icon through the experience and we continue to improve upon that experience because of the speed and malleability of the software," says Edelstein.

TechCrunch

To dismiss a Chat Head icon, touch the image with your finger and drag it down to the bottom of the screen to a gray X.

The New York Times

Touch the phone icon, and tap the dialing pad icon at the top right corner to open the dialing pad.

WikiHow

On iOS, swipe up for Control Centre, touch the Airplane icon so it goes white: the Wi-Fi icon will go grey.

The Guardian - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing instructions, be specific about the location of the "touch the icon" action (e.g., "touch the icon in the top-right corner").

Common error

Don't assume the user knows which icon you're referring to. Specify the icon's name or describe its appearance to avoid confusion when you instruct someone to "touch the icon".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "touch the icon" functions as an imperative instruction, directing the user to perform a specific action on a touchscreen interface. Ludwig confirms that it is used to guide user interaction with digital devices, as demonstrated in the examples provided.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Wiki

40%

News & Media

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "touch the icon" is a grammatically correct and commonly understood instruction, primarily used in the context of touchscreen devices to guide user interaction. Ludwig's analysis reveals that it's most frequently found in Wiki and News & Media sources, reflecting its instructional purpose. While the phrase is generally neutral in register, it's important to be specific about which icon to touch to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives like "tap the icon" or "press the icon" can be used depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tap the icon

Replaces "touch" with "tap", implying a quicker, lighter contact.

press the icon

Uses "press" instead of "touch", suggesting a slightly firmer contact.

select the icon

Focuses on the action of choosing the icon.

click the icon

Applies a term commonly associated with mouse interaction to a touchscreen action.

activate the icon

Emphasizes initiating an action through the icon.

interact with the icon

A more general term for engaging with the icon.

engage the icon

Similar to "interact", but implies initiating something.

access the icon

Focuses on gaining entry or control through the icon.

operate the icon

Suggests using the icon to control a function.

use the icon

A very general term indicating employing the icon.

FAQs

What does "touch the icon" mean in the context of using a smartphone?

In the context of using a smartphone, "touch the icon" means to physically place your finger on the screen where a specific app or function's image is displayed to activate it.

What can I say instead of "touch the icon"?

You can use alternatives like "tap the icon", "press the icon", or "select the icon" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "touch the icon" or "tap the icon"?

Both "touch the icon" and "tap the icon" are acceptable. "Tap" implies a quicker action, while "touch" can suggest a more deliberate action. The best choice depends on the intended nuance.

How can I make instructions clearer when asking someone to "touch the icon"?

To make instructions clearer, specify which icon you mean by providing additional details, such as "touch the settings icon" or "touch the icon that looks like a gear".