thumb

Alternative forms

• thum, thumbe, thume (all obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English thombe, thoume, thoumbe, from Old English þūma, from Proto-Germanic *þūmô (compare West Frisian tomme, Dutch duim, Low German Dumen, German Daumen, Danish tomme, Swedish tumme), from Proto-Indo-European *tūm- (“to grow”) (compare Welsh tyfu (“to grow”), Latin tumēre (“to swell”), Lithuanian tumėti (“to thicken, clot”), Ancient Greek τύμβος (túmbos, “burial mound”), Avestan 𐬀𐬨𐬏𐬙‎ (tūma, “strong”), Sanskrit तुम्र (túmra, “strong, thick”)). The parasitic ‐b has existed since the late 13th century.^[1]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /θʌm/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌm

Noun

thumb (plural thumbs)

1. The short thick digit of the hand that for humans has the most mobility and can be made to oppose (moved to touch) all of the other fingers.
2. (computing) The part of a slider that may be moved linearly along the slider.
3. (colloquial, Internet) A thumbnail picture.
   • 2001, "Gary", Wanna See Porn? Take a Look At These (Free Expandable Thumbs) - CLICK HERE (on newsgroup alt.sex.services)

Verb

thumb (third-person singular simple present thumbs, present participle thumbing, simple past and past participle thumbed)

1. (transitive) To touch or cover with the thumb.

   to thumb the touch-hole of a cannon

2. (transitive, with through) To turn the pages of (a book) in order to read it cursorily.

   I thumbed through the book and decided not to bother reading it all.

3. (travel) To hitchhike

   So I started thumbin' back east, toward my hometown.

4. To soil or wear with the thumb or the fingers; to soil, or wear out, by frequent handling.
   • Macaulay

     He gravely informed the enemy that all his cards had been thumbed to pieces, and begged them to let him have a few more packs.

5. using the thumb to manipulate an object, such as to pull back the hammer or open the cylinder of a revolver
   • 2009 The Trailsman #337: Silver Showdown

     Fargo palmed out his own revolver, thumbing back the hammer as the barrel came up.

   • 2015 Bad Men (I Kill Monsters Book 3):

     Rainford reached down and found the revolver. Thumbing the cylinder open, he inspected the load.

   • 2015 Andy opened the revolver, thumbed in a cartridge.
6. a method of firing single action revolvers quickly by pulling the hammer while keeping the trigger depresses.
   • 2011 GURPS Tactical Shooting pg 14

     To thumb a single-action revolve, hold down the trigger and use the thumb on the same hand to fire the gun by manipulating the hammer.

Alternative forms

• thumbi, thump

Etymology

From *thon (“(finger)nail”) (modern thua). More at thua.

Noun

thumb m (indefinite plural thumba)

1. stinger (of a bee)
2. thorn, prick
3. bell clapper, tongue (of bell)
4. tack, thumbtack, shoe tack (spike)
5. point of arrowhead, spiked tip of a goad or prod

Noun

thumb

1. Alternative form of thombe (“thumb”)