glom

American  

[glom] / glɒm /

verb (used with object)

glommed, glomming

1. to steal.

2. to catch or grab.

3. to look at.

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noun

1. a look or glimpse.

verb phrase

1. glom onto to take hold or possession of.

   He wanted to glom onto some of that money.

glom British  

/ ɡlɒm /

verb

1. to attach oneself to or associate oneself with

2. to acquire, esp without paying

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Etymology

Origin of glom

1895–1900, compare Scots glaum, glam to snatch at, glammis jaws of a vise, apparently < Scots Gaelic glàm to grab, clutch, influenced by clam ²

Example Sentences

Soon after the memes started making the rounds on Sunday, other politicians glommed on.

From Los Angeles Times

Using mouse antibodies that glom on to proteasomes, and other methods, the investigators found the proteasomes on the surface of neurons in the spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia, sciatic nerve and peripheral nerves innervating skin.

From Science Daily

But the latest generation has definitely glommed onto and revived some of the most deplorable, if I may use that word, beliefs from the past.

From Salon

AGEs arise when blood sugar is poorly controlled and elevated levels of sugar molecules known as glucose begin to glom onto nearby proteins including collagen -- a key structural component of the extracellular matrix.

From Science Daily

This so-called Wiedemann-Franz law has held ever since -- except in quantum materials, where electrons stop behaving as individual particles and glom together into a sort of electron soup.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• apprehend
• capture
• catch
• detain
• imprison
• incarcerate
• jail
• round up
• seize