thumb

[ thuhm ]

noun

1. the short, thick, inner digit of the human hand, next to the forefinger.
2. the corresponding digit in other animals; pollex.
3. the part of a glove or mitten for containing this digit.
4. Architecture. an ovolo or echinus molding.

verb (used with object)

1. to soil or wear with the thumbs in handling, as the pages of a book.
2. to glance through (the pages of a book, leaflet, etc.) quickly.
3. to play (a guitar or other instrument) with or as with the thumbs.
4. (of a hitchhiker) to solicit or get (a ride) by pointing the thumb in the desired direction of travel.

thumb

/ θʌm /

noun

1. the first and usually shortest and thickest of the digits of the hand, composed of two short bones Technical namepollex pollical
2. the corresponding digit in other vertebrates
3. the part of a glove shaped to fit the thumb
4. architect another name for ovolo
5. all thumbs
   clumsy
6. thumbs down
   an indication of refusal, disapproval, or negation

   he gave the thumbs down on our proposal

7. thumbs up
   an indication of encouragement, approval, or acceptance
8. under someone's thumb
   at someone's mercy or command

verb

1. tr to touch, mark, or move with the thumb
2. to attempt to obtain (a lift or ride) by signalling with the thumb
3. whenintr, often foll by through to flip the pages of (a book, magazine, etc) perfunctorily in order to glance at the contents
4. thumb one's nose at
   to deride or mock, esp by placing the thumb on the nose with fingers extended

Derived Forms

• ˈthumbˌlike, adjective
• ˈthumbless, adjective

Other Words From

• thumbless adjective
• thumblike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of thumb¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English thūma; cognate with Dutch duim, Old Saxon, Old High German dūmo ( German Daumen ), Old Norse thumall; akin to Latin tumēre to swell ( tumor )

Word History and Origins

Origin of thumb¹

Old English thūma; related to Old Saxon thūma, Old High German thūmo, Old Norse thumall thumb of a glove, Latin tumēre to swell

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. all thumbs, awkward; clumsy; bungling:

   The visitor almost knocked over a vase and seemed to be all thumbs.

2. thumb one's nose,
   1. to put one's thumb to one's nose and extend the fingers as a crudely defiant or contemptuous gesture.
   2. to express defiance or contempt; dismiss or reject contemptuously.
3. thumbs down, a gesture or expression of dissent or disapproval:

   We turned thumbs down to that suggestion.

4. thumbs up, a gesture or expression of assent or approval.
5. under one's thumb, under the power or influence of; subordinate to. Also under the thumb of.

More idioms and phrases containing thumb

• all thumbs
• green thumb
• rule of thumb
• stick out (like a sore thumb)
• twiddle one's thumbs
• under someone's thumb

Example Sentences

It was possible to pinch your thumb and forefinger together for a button press or rub the two fingers together to spin a dial.

From Ars Technica

Six feet is a good rule of thumb for reducing the risk of getting infected, and there are ways to make sure people stay that far apart.

From Science News For Students

Adding up all those costs, drawing on the latest research, the report comes up with with a total externalities cost of between $800 and $1,400 per tonne, with “at least $1,000” used as a reasonable rule of thumb.

From Vox

It differentiates between products and services and uses a binary thumbs up or down system like Facebook, rather than a point or star-ratings system like Google.

From Search Engine Land

Linking to your other blog posts from a relating one has become a rule of thumb in writing blog posts.

From Search Engine Watch

And considering his massive music-industry thumb print, that “you oughta know” Jack Antonoff is an understatement.

From The Daily Beast

Pete stuck his thumb out at the age of 17 and hitch hiked out of Birmingham, England.

From The Daily Beast

The Flip-a-District project is a clown-gloved thumb on the scale.

From The Daily Beast

In the meantime, certain rules of thumb about drone use are self-evident.

From The Daily Beast

He had only one tooth, and he ate by using his thumb as a second incisor.

From The Daily Beast

Many persons impede their execution by not keeping the thumb independent enough of the rest of the hand.

From Project Gutenberg

Willis introduced into his organs pneumatic thumb-pistons about the year 1851.

From Project Gutenberg

He held the pin delicately between finger and thumb, and controlled her with his roguish eyes.

From Project Gutenberg

He turned pages with a moistened thumb, took a pencil out of his pocket, passed both to the passengers of the roadster.

From Project Gutenberg

And he jerked his thumb towards the tower where mademoiselle was a captive, and where at night "Battista" was locked in with her.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• claw
• index finger
• ring finger