THUMBS

Noun

thumbs

plural of thumb

Verb

thumbs

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of thumb

Source: Wiktionary


THUMB

Thumb, n. Etym: [OE. thombe, thoumbe, , AS. ; akin to OFries. th, D. duim, G. daumen, OHG. d, Icel. , Dan. tommelfinger, Sw. tunne, and perhaps to L. tumere to swell. *56. Cf. Thimble, Tumid.]

Definition: The short, thick first digit of the human hand, differing from the other fingers in having but two phalanges; the pollex. See Pollex. Upon his thumb he had of gold a ring. Chaucer. Thumb band, a twist of anything as thick as the thumb. Mortimer.

– Thumb blue, indigo in the form of small balls or lumps, used by washerwomen to blue linen, and the like.

– Thumb latch, a door latch having a lever formed to be pressed by the thumb.

– Thumb mark. (a) The mark left by the impression of a thumb, as on the leaves of a book. Longfellow. (b) The dark spot over each foot in finely bred black and tan terriers.

– Thumb nut, a nut for a screw, having wings to grasp between the thumb and fingers in turning it; also, a nut with a knurled rim for the same perpose.

– Thumb ring, a ring worn on the thumb. Shak.

– Thumb stall. (a) A kind of thimble or ferrule of iron, or leather, for protecting the thumb in making sails, and in other work. (b) (Mil.) A buckskin cushion worn on the thumb, and used to close the vent of a cannon while it is sponged, or loaded.

– Under one's thumb, completely under one's power or influence; in a condition of subservience. [Colloq.]

Thumb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Thumbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Thumbing.]

1. To handle awkwardly. Johnson.

2. To play with the thumbs, or with the thumbs and fingers; as, to thumb over a tune.

3. To soil or wear with the thumb or the fingers; to soil, or wear out, by frequent handling; also, to cover with the thumb; as, to thumb the touch-hole of a cannon. He gravely informed the enemy that all his cards had been thumbed to pieces, and begged them to let him have a few more packs. Macaulay.

Thumb, v. i.

Definition: To play with the thumb or thumbs; to play clumsily; to thrum.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

28 April 2024

POLYGENIC

(adjective) of or relating to an inheritable character that is controlled by several genes at once; of or related to or determined by polygenes


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, on 25 September 2016, the Birla Institute of Management Technology (India) in Uttar Pradesh, India, constructed the largest coffee cups pyramid consisting of 23,821 cups. They used paper takeaway coffee cups to build the pyramid.

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