oakum

[ oh-kuhm ]

noun

loose fiber obtained by untwisting and picking apart old ropes, used for caulking the seams of ships.

Origin of oakum

before 1000; Middle English okome,Old English ācuma, variant of ācumba, literally, offcombings, equivalent to ā- separative prefix (see a-³) + -cumba (see comb)

Words Nearby oakum

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use oakum in a sentence

Nor was even breaking stone or picking oakum to be paid for as wages, or regarded as employment.
English Poor Law Policy | Sidney Webb
On the floor he spread a lot of wet oakum wads to prevent the splashing of the metal setting the floor afire.
Balsamo, The Magician | Alexander Dumas
The oakum is forced tight enough to make a water-tight joint.
Elements of Plumbing | Samuel Dibble
This piece of oakum is forced to the bottom of the hub, then another piece is put in.
Elements of Plumbing | Samuel Dibble
A wad of oakum is taken and forced into the hub with the yarning iron.
Elements of Plumbing | Samuel Dibble

British Dictionary definitions for oakum

oakum

/ (ˈəʊkəm) /

noun

loose fibre obtained by unravelling old rope, used esp for caulking seams in wooden ships

Origin of oakum

Old English ācuma, variant of ācumba, literally: off-combings, from ā- off + -cumba, from cemban to comb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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