thumb

[ thuhm ]

/ θʌm /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: thumb / thumbed / thumbing on Thesaurus.com

noun

the short, thick, inner digit of the human hand, next to the forefinger.

the corresponding digit in other animals; pollex.

the part of a glove or mitten for containing this digit.

Architecture. an ovolo or echinus molding.

verb (used with object)

to soil or wear with the thumbs in handling, as the pages of a book.

to glance through (the pages of a book, leaflet, etc.) quickly.

to play (a guitar or other instrument) with or as with the thumbs.

(of a hitchhiker) to solicit or get (a ride) by pointing the thumb in the desired direction of travel.

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is used to state an obligation or duty someone has?

shall

should

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about thumb

all thumbs, awkward; clumsy; bungling: The visitor almost knocked over a vase and seemed to be all thumbs.

thumb one's nose,

to put one's thumb to one's nose and extend the fingers as a crudely defiant or contemptuous gesture.
to express defiance or contempt; dismiss or reject contemptuously.

thumbs down, a gesture or expression of dissent or disapproval: We turned thumbs down to that suggestion.

thumbs up, a gesture or expression of assent or approval.

under one's thumb, under the power or influence of; subordinate to.Also under the thumb of.

Origin of thumb

before 900; Middle English; Old English thūma; cognate with Dutch duim,Old Saxon, Old High German dūmo (German Daumen), Old Norse thumall; akin to Latin tumēre to swell (tumor)

OTHER WORDS FROM thumb

thumbless, adjectivethumblike, adjective

Words nearby thumb

thuggee, thuja, Thule, thulia, thulium, thumb, thumb a ride, thumb drive, thumber, thumb forceps, thumb glass

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use thumb in a sentence

It was possible to pinch your thumb and forefinger together for a button press or rub the two fingers together to spin a dial.
New Google Nest Thermostat hits the FCC, possibly with air gesture controls|Ron Amadeo|September 11, 2020|Ars Technica
Six feet is a good rule of thumb for reducing the risk of getting infected, and there are ways to make sure people stay that far apart.
Here’s how COVID-19 is changing classes this year|Bethany Brookshire|September 8, 2020|Science News For Students
Adding up all those costs, drawing on the latest research, the report comes up with with a total externalities cost of between $800 and $1,400 per tonne, with “at least $1,000” used as a reasonable rule of thumb.
Big Oil’s hopes are pinned on plastics. It won’t end well.|David Roberts|September 4, 2020|Vox
It differentiates between products and services and uses a binary thumbs up or down system like Facebook, rather than a point or star-ratings system like Google.
Apple Ratings is coming to iOS 14, how disruptive will it be?|Greg Sterling|September 1, 2020|Search Engine Land

Linking to your other blog posts from a relating one has become a rule of thumb in writing blog posts.
SEO on a shoestring budget: What small business owners can do to win|Ali Faagba|June 4, 2020|Search Engine Watch
And considering his massive music-industry thumb print, that “you oughta know” Jack Antonoff is an understatement.
The Rise of Jack Antonoff, the Taylor Swift Whisperer|Kevin Fallon|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pete stuck his thumb out at the age of 17 and hitch hiked out of Birmingham, England.
London’s Pagan Counterculture Kings|Justin Jones|October 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Flip-a-District project is a clown-gloved thumb on the scale.
Bill Maher Finds the Worst Congressman in America|Ana Marie Cox|October 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the meantime, certain rules of thumb about drone use are self-evident.
Soon We’ll Be Watching Whales By Drone|Abigail Golden|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He had only one tooth, and he ate by using his thumb as a second incisor.
The Stacks: The Judas Priest Teen Suicide Trial|Ivan Solotaroff|June 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Many persons impede their execution by not keeping the thumb independent enough of the rest of the hand.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
Willis introduced into his organs pneumatic thumb-pistons about the year 1851.
The Recent Revolution in Organ Building|George Laing Miller
He held the pin delicately between finger and thumb, and controlled her with his roguish eyes.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
He turned pages with a moistened thumb, took a pencil out of his pocket, passed both to the passengers of the roadster.
Hooded Detective, Volume III No. 2, January, 1942|Various
And he jerked his thumb towards the tower where mademoiselle was a captive, and where at night "Battista" was locked in with her.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for thumb

thumb

/ (θʌm) /

noun

the first and usually shortest and thickest of the digits of the hand, composed of two short bonesTechnical name: pollex Related adjective: pollical

the corresponding digit in other vertebrates

the part of a glove shaped to fit the thumb

architect another name for ovolo

all thumbs clumsy

thumbs down an indication of refusal, disapproval, or negationhe gave the thumbs down on our proposal

thumbs up an indication of encouragement, approval, or acceptance

under someone's thumb at someone's mercy or command

verb

(tr) to touch, mark, or move with the thumb

to attempt to obtain (a lift or ride) by signalling with the thumb

(when intr, often foll by through) to flip the pages of (a book, magazine, etc) perfunctorily in order to glance at the contents

thumb one's nose at to deride or mock, esp by placing the thumb on the nose with fingers extended

Derived forms of thumb

thumbless, adjectivethumblike, adjective

Word Origin for thumb

Old English thūma; related to Old Saxon thūma, Old High German thūmo, Old Norse thumall thumb of a glove, Latin tumēre to swell

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

Medical definitions for thumb

thumb

[ thŭm ]

The short thick digit of the human hand, next to the index finger and opposable to each of the other four digits.

Other Idioms and Phrases with thumb

thumb

In addition to the idioms beginning with thumb

thumb a ride
thumb one's nose
thumbs up

also see:

all thumbs
green thumb
rule of thumb
stick out (like a sore thumb)
twiddle one's thumbs
under someone's thumb

thumb

Idioms about thumb

Origin of thumb

OTHER WORDS FROM thumb

Words nearby thumb

Words related to thumb

How to use thumb in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for thumb

Derived forms of thumb

Word Origin for thumb

Medical definitions for thumb

Other Idioms and Phrases with thumb