thumb Hear it!

thumb Definition

thumb (t̸hum)

noun

  1. the short, thick digit of the human hand that is nearest the wrist and is opposable to the other fingers
  2. a corresponding part in some other vertebrate animals
  3. the part of a glove or mitten that covers the thumb
  4. Archit. ovolo

Etymology: ME (with unhistoric -b) < OE thuma, akin to Ger daume(n) < IE base *tēu-, to swell, increase > L tumor: basic sense, “enlarged finger”

transitive verb

  1. to handle, turn, soil, or wear with or as with the thumb
  2. Informal to solicit or get (a ride) or make (one's way) in hitchhiking by gesturing with the thumb extended in the direction one is traveling

thumb Related Forms
thumb·less adjective
thumb Idioms

all thumbs

clumsy; fumbling

thumb one's nose

  1. to raise one's thumb to the nose with the fingers extended, as a coarse gesture of defiance or contempt
  2. to express defiance or contempt

thumbs down

a signal of rejection or disapproval

thumbs up

a signal of acceptance or approval

thumb through

to glance rapidly through (a book), as by releasing or turning pages along their edge with the thumb

under someone's thumb

under someone's influence or sway

thumb Synonyms

thumb

n.

pollex, first digit, preaxial digit; see finger.

all thumbs*

fumbling, clumsy, inept; see awkward 1.

under one's thumb*

under one's control, controlled, governed; see managed.

thumb Usage Examples

Object

  • lift: At the end, you'll be pleased you thumbed a lift.
  • nose: So keep you eyes open for Episcopal Church thumbs nose at Communion stories tomorrow.

Converse of object

  • twiddle: I don't expect a response for at least a month so i guess it's back to twiddling thumbs.
  • dislocate: Brian Welham suffered the dislocated thumb, but pluckily kept going, even tho he finished near the back of the fleet.
  • give: Zimbabwe was given a big thumbs down by the miners.
  • get: MySQL 5 gets a major thumbs up from me.

Adjective modifier

  • opposable: You owe the Oracle a can opener that doesn't require an opposable thumb.
  • sore: They would stand out like a sore thumb at a fancy dress party!
  • resounding: The interim results from the PMlifeline online poll gives a resounding thumbs up to web based training.
  • broken: Don't hack, or we will alert Tank and expect broken thumbs.
  • definite: Brilliantly done - it's a definite thumbs up from us.
  • left: For example, I touch my left thumb to my little finger.

Modifies a noun

  • nail: One had an infant bird in it that was no bigger then a thumb nail!
  • screw: No hefty pump arms, slim, sleek and stripped with just two thumb screws.
  • piston: Combination thumb pistons: 2 to Great, 2 to Swell.
  • tack: I wasn't so much cutting as scratching I started with a thumb tack and moved to safety pins.
  • piano: These will include the Ugandan thumb piano and xylophone as well as West and East African drumming and dancing.
  • hook: Sharp-eyed players might notice something slightly unusual about the thumb hook.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • through: With 275 mostly color photographs to thumb through, it's a lovely looking insight into the models design origins and development history.

Preposition: with

  • hammer: If you hit your thumb with a hammer when great aunt Edith is in the room what do you say?
thumb Quotes

I was never an Angry Young Man. I am angry only when I hit my thumb with a hammer.

—Amis, Sir Kingsley

The fact is, there are no rules and there never were any rules, and there never will be any rules of musical composition except rules of thumb; and thumbs vary in length, like ears.

—Shaw, George Bernard

In the absence of any other proof, the thumb alone would convince me of God's existence.

—Newton, Sir Isaac

Browse dictionary entries near thumb

  1. thulium
  2. thulia
  3. Thule
  4. thuja
  5. thuggee
  6. thug
  7. thud
  8. Thucydides
  9. Thu
  10. thruway
  1. thumb index
  2. thumb piano
  3. thumbhole
  4. thumbnail
  5. thumbprint
  6. thumbscrew
  7. thumbstall
  8. thumbtack
  9. Thummim
  10. thump