oakum

American  

[oh-kuhm] / ˈoʊ kəm /

noun

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

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oakum British  

/ ˈəʊkəm /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of oakum

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

Example Sentences

He even smelled right—like oakum and wood shavings.

From Literature

He smelled the tar and oakum of the deck as he slept and he smelled the smell of Africa that the land breeze brought at morning.

From Literature

He had a flowing wig and beard of oakum, and was, in all points, “made-up” for Neptune himself.

From Project Gutenberg

The outer timbers were tightly caulked with oakum, like a ship, and the whole was payed over with pitch.

From Project Gutenberg

Useful methods of applying these are by the medium of borated cotton, oakum, tow, or spongiopiline, covered with oiled silk or the Lister protective material.

From Project Gutenberg