gum

¹ American  

[guhm] / gʌm /

noun

1. any of various viscid, amorphous exudations from plants, hardening on exposure to air and soluble in or forming a viscid mass with water.

2. any of various similar exudations, as resin.

3. a preparation of such a substance, as for use in the arts or bookbinding.

4. chewing gum.

5. mucilage; glue.

6. rubber.

7. gum tree.

8. Philately. the adhesive by which a postage stamp is affixed.

9. Informal. a rubber overshoe or boot.

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verb (used with object)

gummed, gumming

1. to smear, stiffen, or stick together with gum.

2. to clog with or as if with some gummy substance.

verb (used without object)

gummed, gumming

1. to exude or form gum.

2. to become gummy.

3. to become clogged with a gummy substance.

verb phrase

1. gum up to spoil or ruin.

idioms

1. gum up the works. work.

gum ² American  

[guhm] / gʌm /

noun

1. Also called gingiva.  Often gums the firm, fleshy tissue covering the alveolar parts of either jaw and enveloping the necks of the teeth.

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verb (used with object)

gummed, gumming

1. to masticate (food) with the gums instead of teeth.

2. to shape or renew the teeth of (a saw), as by grinding.

idioms

1. beat one's gums, to talk excessively or ineffectively.

gum ³ American  

[guhm] / gʌm /

idioms

1. by gum, (used as a mild oath).

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gum ¹ British  

/ ɡʌm /

noun

1. any of various sticky substances that exude from certain plants, hardening on exposure to air and dissolving or forming viscous masses in water

2. any of various products, such as adhesives, that are made from such exudates

3. any sticky substance used as an adhesive; mucilage; glue

4. short for kauri gum

5. See chewing gum bubble gum gumtree

6. a gumdrop

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verb

1. to cover or become covered, clogged, or stiffened with or as if with gum

2. (tr) to stick together or in place with gum

3. (intr) to emit or form gum

GUM ² British  

abbreviation

1. genitourinary medicine

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gum ³ British  

/ ɡʌm /

noun

1. Technical name: gingiva.  the fleshy tissue that covers the jawbones around the bases of the teeth

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gum ⁴ British  

/ ɡʌm /

noun

1. used in the mild oath by gum!

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gum ¹ Scientific  

/ gŭm /

1. Any of various sticky substances that are produced by certain plants and trees and dry into brittle solids soluble in water. Gums typically are colloidal mixtures of polysaccharides and mineral salts.

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gum ² Scientific  

/ gŭm /

1. See gingiva

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Other Word Forms

• gumless adjective
• gumlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of gum¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English gom(m)e, gum(m)e, from Old French gomme, from Vulgar Latin gumma, for Latin gummi, cummi, commi, from Greek kómmi, from Coptic kommi, from Egyptian kema, kemai, kmjt

Origin of gum²

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English gom(m)e, Old English gōma “palate, jaws (in plural),” Old Norse gōmr “roof or floor of the mouth,” German Gaumen “palate”

Origin of gum³

First recorded in 1825–35; euphemism for God

Example Sentences

Their research shows that a bacterium commonly associated with gum disease may help initiate breast cancer, accelerate tumor growth, and promote its spread by damaging DNA and changing how cancer cells behave.

From Science Daily

Then quicker than the eye, Tansy stuck a finger in her mouth and hooked out the chewing gum.

From Literature

In fact, everything about him seemed to be rotting: from his empty, festering eye socket to his toothless black gums, and his shattered nose, from which hung a loop of greenish-yellow slime.

From Literature

Instead my feet had gummed to the sidewalk as he handed her into the Ford and they drove away.

From Literature

That gummed up credit markets, tanked the value of money-market funds, and sent global stock markets into a tailspin.

From Barron's

Related Words

• paste
• wax