palm
Palm is defined as a tropical tree or shrub with a branch-free trunk and long feather-shaped leaves at the top.
(noun)An example of a palm is the kind of tall skinny trees that you see a lot of in Hawaii.
The definition of a palm is the inner surface of the hand between the fingers and wrist, or the part of a glove that covers this part of the hand.
(noun)An example of a palm is the part of the hand that fortune tellers look at in order to tell your fortune.
Palm is to hide something in the hand, or to pick something up and secretly hold it in the hand.
(verb)An example of palm is to hide a card in the hand during a card trick.
See palm in Webster's New World College Dictionary
noun
- any of an order (Arecales) of tropical or subtropical monocotyledonous trees and shrubs, having a woody, usually unbranched, trunk and large, evergreen, featherlike or fan-shaped leaves growing in a bunch at the top
- a leaf of such a tree carried or worn as a symbol of victory, triumph, joy, etc.
- victory; triumph
- a representation of a palm leaf or frond given in lieu of a second award of the same military decoration
Origin: ME palme < OE palm < L palma: so named because its leaf somewhat resembles the palm of the hand
adjective
Related Forms:
- palmaceous adjective
noun
- the inner part or surface of the hand between the fingers and wrist
- the part of a glove, mitten, etc. that covers the palm
- the broad, flat part of an antler, as of a moose
- a unit of linear measure based either on the width of the hand (3 to 4 inches) or on its length (7 to 9 inches)
- any broad, flat part at the end of an arm, handle, etc.,
- a piece of leather, often with a metal disc attached, that fits over the palm of the hand, worn for protection in sewing heavy canvas or leather
Origin: altered (infl. by L) < ME paume < OFr < L palma, palm of the hand < IE base *pele-, broad, flat, spread out > floor, field
transitive verb
- to hide (something) in the palm or between the fingers, as in a sleight-of-hand trick
- ☆ to interrupt the dribbling of (a basketball) for an instant by grasping with the palm and fingers: such interrupting is illegal
See palm in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- a. The inner surface of the hand that extends from the wrist to the base of the fingers.b. The similar part of the forefoot of a quadruped.
- A unit of length equal to either the width or the length of the hand.
- The part of a glove or mitten that covers the palm of the hand.
- Nautical A metal shield worn by sailmakers over the palm of the hand and used to force a needle through heavy canvas.
- Nautical The blade of an oar or paddle.
- The flattened part of the antlers of certain animals, such as the moose.
- a. To hold in the palm of the hand.b. To touch or stroke with the palm of the hand.
- To conceal in the palm of the hand, as in cheating at dice or cards or in a sleight-of-hand trick.
- To pick up furtively.
- Basketball To commit a violation by letting (the ball) rest momentarily in the palm of the hand while dribbling.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English paume
Origin: , from Old French
Origin: , from Latin palma, palm tree, palm of the hand; see pelə-2 in Indo-European roots
.Related Forms:
- palmˈfulˌ noun
noun
- Any of various chiefly tropical evergreen trees, shrubs, or woody vines of the family Palmae (or Arecaceae), characteristically having unbranched trunks with a crown of large pinnate or palmate leaves having conspicuous parallel venation.
- A leaf of a palm tree, carried as an emblem of victory, success, or joy.
- Triumph; victory.
- A small metallic representation of a palm leaf added to a military decoration that has been awarded more than one time.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English
Origin: , from Old English
Origin: and from Old French palme
Origin: , both from Latin palma, palm of the hand, palm tree (from the shape of the tree's fronds); see pelə-2 in Indo-European roots
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