thumbpiece

[ thuhm-pees ]

noun
  1. a lever over the hinge on the lid of a tankard, pressed by the thumb to raise the lid.

Origin of thumbpiece

1
First recorded in 1750–60; thumb + piece

Words Nearby thumbpiece

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use thumbpiece in a sentence

  • A thumbpiece must be sewn on the bag at the hasp to open it by.

  • They were almost upon him when Kalvar Dard pressed in the thumbpiece of the bomb; they were clutching at him when he released it.

    Genesis | H. Beam Piper
  • Above the handle, and attached to the lid, a metal flange or thumbpiece.

    Europe After 8:15 | H. L. Mencken, George Jean Nathan and Willard Huntington Wright
  • Grasp the handle, press your thumb on the thumbpiece—and presto, the lid heaves up.

    Europe After 8:15 | H. L. Mencken, George Jean Nathan and Willard Huntington Wright
  • He knows it will squirt if he touches the thumbpiece, but it is as liable to hit him in the face, or wet his feet as anything.