Meaning of thumb in English

Table of contents

Verb
thumb
Definitions
1. travel by getting free rides from motorists
Derived terms
- hitchhiker
2. look through a book or other written material
Examples
- « He thumbed through the report »
- « She leafed through the volume »
Derived terms
- folio
- leaf
3. feel or handle with the fingers
Examples
- « finger the binding of the book »
Derived terms
Noun
thumb
Etymology
Old English thūma, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch duim and German Daumen, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin tumere‘to swell’. The verb dates from the late 16th century, first in the sense ‘play (a musical instrument) with the thumbs’
Definitions
1. the thick short innermost digit of the forelimb
Derived terms
- finger
2. the part of a glove that provides a covering for the thumb
3. a convex molding having a cross section in the form of a quarter of a circle or of an ellipse

Famous quotes

« For myself I hold no preferences among flowers, so long as they are wild, free, spontaneous. Bricks to all greenhouses! Black thumb and cutworm to the potted plant! »
Edward Abbey
« My relationship with Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm reaches far back into my childhood. I grew up with Grimm's fairy tales. I even saw a theater production of 'Tom Thumb' during Advent at the State Theater in Danzig, which my mother took me to see. »
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« There's a rule of thumb in politics. If you're at a point where you're complaining about the other guy being mean and unfair and uncivil, that's probably a sign that you're losing. »
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« Here's a very good rule of thumb in politics: losing begets losing. »
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« Start with God - the first step in learning is bowing down to God only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning. »
King Solomon