tum

[ tuhm ]

/ tʌm /

Save This Word!

Definition of tum

verb (used with object), tummed, tum·ming.

to tease (wool) in the preliminary carding operation, or to open out the fibers prior to carding.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of tum

First recorded in 1605–15; origin uncertain

Words nearby tum

Tulsa, Tulsi Das, Tulu, Tuluá, tulwar, tum, Tumaco, tumatakuru, Tumbes, tumble, tumblebug

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

How to use tum in a sentence

The “rooty toot toot” is simply the noise the horns make, while “rummy tum tum” is the drums.
The Most Confusing Christmas Music Lyrics Explained (VIDEO)|Kevin Fallon|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So Virgil, "Solemnes tum forte dapes et tristia dona ante urbem in luco," &c.
Notes and Queries, Number 196, July 30, 1853|Various
Mappo, who had been watching Tum Tum learn to stand on his hind legs, now looked at the man and dog.
Mappo, the Merry Monkey|Richard Barnum
Mappo was indeed getting homesick for the jungle, and for his folks, but when he saw Tum Tum, he felt much better.
Mappo, the Merry Monkey|Richard Barnum

And some day soon, in another book, I shall tell you the many adventures of Tum Tum, the jolly elephant.
Mappo, the Merry Monkey|Richard Barnum
So did Tum Tum, and the other elephants, and they made loud noises through their trunks.
Mappo, the Merry Monkey|Richard Barnum

British Dictionary definitions for tum

tum

/ (tʌm) /

noun

an informal or childish word for stomach

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