gum

[ guhm ]

/ gʌm /

noun

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

any of various similar exudations, as resin.

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

chewing gum.

mucilage; glue.

rubber¹(def 1).

gum tree.

Philately. the adhesive by which a postage stamp is affixed.Compare o.g.(def 1).

Informal. a rubber overshoe or boot.

verb (used with object), gummed, gum·ming.

to smear, stiffen, or stick together with gum.

to clog with or as if with some gummy substance.

verb (used without object), gummed, gum·ming.

to exude or form gum.

to become gummy.

to become clogged with a gummy substance.

Verb Phrases

gum up, Slang. to spoil or ruin.

QUIZZES

HEED THE VOX POPULI, AND TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Test your memory on these verbal firecrackers from the week of June 29 to July 5!

Question 1 of 7

anchorite

a granular metamorphic rock.

a person who has retired to a solitary place for a life of religious seclusion.

a hobble or fetter for a horse or other animal.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for gum

gum up the works. work(def 51).

Origin of gum

1350–1400; Middle English gomme < Old French < Vulgar Latin *gumma, for Latin gummi, cummi < Greek kómmi

OTHER WORDS FROM gum

gum·less, adjectivegum·like, adjective

Words nearby gum

gully, gullywasher, gulosity, gulp, gulper eel, gum, gum accroides, gum ammoniac, gum arabic, gum band, gum benzoin

Definition for gum (2 of 3)

gum²

[ guhm ]

/ gʌm /

noun

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

verb (used with object), gummed, gum·ming.

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

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

Origin of gum

1275–1325; Middle English gome, Old English gōma palate; akin to Old Norse gōmr, German Gaumen palate

Definition for gum (3 of 3)

gum³

[ guhm ]

/ gʌm /

Idioms

by gum, (used as a mild oath).

Origin of gum

First recorded in 1825–35; euphemism for God

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for gum

Tessie rose, unrolled her scented handkerchief, and taking a bit of gum from a knot in the hem, placed it in her mouth.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show|Robert W. Chambers|February 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Republicans throw up procedural obstacles just to gum up the works and run out the clock.
John McCain to the Rescue as Senate Deal Breaks Nominee Logjam|Eleanor Clift|July 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Having localized the jaw pain, it quickly becomes unbearable, and I spit the gum out to give my tired face a rest.
After War: Anger, Panic, and Sometimes Peace|Benjamin Tupper|June 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I gather up my laptop and toss the mess of gum wrappers and chewed spearmint globs into the trash can.
After War: Anger, Panic, and Sometimes Peace|Benjamin Tupper|June 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Walmart uses a lot more labor per sale than Costco does because it sells more than one kind of gum, and not always by the 24-pack.
Why Can’t Walmart Be More Like Costco?|Megan McArdle|November 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
They consisted of wooden splints coated with sulphur and tipped with antimony, chlorate of potash, and gum.
Great Inventions and Discoveries|Willis Duff Piercy
But when you gum the small cardboard weight to its fore-plane, the action of the model is changed.
The Aeroplane|Claude Grahame-White and Harry Harper
The gum on the whole lower jaw may become inflamed, and a yellow band of ulceration may appear along the gums.
The Home Medical Library, Volume II (of VI)|Various
A constituent part of a species of gum which comes from Bassora, as also of gum tragacanth, and of some gum resins.
A Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures and Mines|Andrew Ure
Unfortunately also, it is not very difficult to remove the gum, imitate the grille or not and regum the stamp with brownish gum.
History of the Postage Stamps of the United States of America|John Kerr Tiffany

British Dictionary definitions for gum (1 of 4)

gum¹

/ (ɡʌm) /

noun

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

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

any sticky substance used as an adhesive; mucilage; glue

NZ short for kauri gum

See chewing gum, bubble gum, gumtree

mainly British a gumdrop

verb gums, gumming or gummed

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

(tr) to stick together or in place with gum

(intr) to emit or form gum

Derived forms of gum

gumless, adjectivegumlike, adjective

Word Origin for gum

C14: from Old French gomme, from Latin gummi, from Greek kommi, from Egyptian kemai

British Dictionary definitions for gum (2 of 4)

gum²

/ (ɡʌm) /

noun

the fleshy tissue that covers the jawbones around the bases of the teethTechnical name: gingiva Related adjective: gingival

Word Origin for gum

Old English gōma jaw; related to Old Norse gōmr, Middle High German gūme, Lithuanian gomurīs

British Dictionary definitions for gum (3 of 4)

gum³

/ (ɡʌm) /

noun

used in the mild oath by gum!

Word Origin for gum

C19: euphemism for God

British Dictionary definitions for gum (4 of 4)

GUM

abbreviation for

genitourinary medicine

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

Scientific definitions for gum (1 of 2)

gum¹

[ gŭm ]

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.

Scientific definitions for gum (2 of 2)

gum²

[ gŭm ]

See gingiva.

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

gum

noun

verb (used with object), gummed, gum·ming.