thumb
noun
the short, thick, inner digit of the human hand, next to the forefinger.
have thumbed
-
present perfectof thumb.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They have thumbed up their noses at the pursuit of football success.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2023
For decades, environmentalists have decried ocean desalination as an ecological disaster, while cost-savvy water managers have thumbed their noses at desal’s lofty price tag.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2022
A medieval friar, drop-kicked in front of an iPhone, could have thumbed out a more lucid business plan.
From Slate ● May 17, 2022
In recent years, the NBA’s most creative passers, from 20-year-old LaMelo Ball to 37-year-old LeBron James, have thumbed their noses at this piece of conventional hoops wisdom.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 12, 2022
Somebody has stolen Nature from me, or many have thumbed it to pieces; I could not find a copy.
From The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol. I by Thomas Carlyle
