bum

== Translingual == === Etymology === Abbreviation of English Bulu, Cameroon. === Symbol === bum (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Bulu (Cameroon). === See also === Wiktionary’s coverage of Bulu (Cameroon) terms == English == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bʌm/ Rhymes: -ʌm === Etymology 1 === Attested since the 1300s, as Middle English bom (found in John Trevisa's 1387 Translation of the 'Polychronicon' of Ranulph Higden, "his bom is oute"), of uncertain origin. Sometimes suggested to be a shortening of botme, botom, bottum (“bottom”), but this is contradicted by the fact that bottom is not attested in reference to the buttocks until the late 1700s. Suggested by some old and modern references to be onomatopoeic. Compare also Old Irish, Scottish Gaelic bun (“base, bottom”). The anal sex senses (noun and verb), as well as the adjective (esp. the first) sense, are expletive-avoiding (i.e. Bowdlerized) shortenings of bumfuck. ==== Noun ==== bum (plural bums) (informal or childish, chiefly Commonwealth) The buttocks. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:buttocks For quotations using this term, see Citations:bum. (specifically) The anus. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:anus (East Midlands, slang, vulgar) An act of anal sex. Synonym: bumfuck ===== Usage notes ===== Bum is most common in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. In Canada, bum is mainly used when speaking to young children, as in Everyone please sit on your bum and we’ll read a story. In the United States, bum is not often used in this sense (though this may vary from dialect to dialect) except in conscious imitation of British English. The term butt is the most common term in North America except in professional contexts such as medical, legal, and scientific where buttocks is generally used or gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, etc. for the muscles specifically. Glutes is often used in sports medicine and bodybuilding. Ass (originally a dialectal variant of arse) is considered vulgar in North America, whereas backside, behind, bottom and rear are considered to be non-specific terms. ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== bum (third-person singular simple present bums, present participle bumming, simple past and past participle bummed) (UK, Ireland, transitive, colloquial) To sodomize; to engage in anal sex. Synonym: bumfuck ==== Interjection ==== bum (UK, Ireland, childish, euphemistic) An expression of annoyance. Synonym: arse (more vulgar) ==== Derived terms ==== === Etymology 2 === 1864, back-formation from bummer, from German Bummler (“loafer”), from bummeln (“to loaf”). ==== Noun ==== bum (plural bums)(colloquial) (sometimes derogatory) A homeless person, usually a man. Synonyms: street bum, tramp, vagrant, wanderer, vagabond; see also Thesaurus:vagabond (by extension, also sometimes derogatory) A lazy, incompetent, or annoying person, usually a man. Synonyms: loafer, bumpkin, footler; see also Thesaurus:idler (sports) A player or racer who often performs poorly. A drinking spree. Synonyms: binge, bender ===== Translations ===== ==== Verb ==== bum (third-person singular simple present bums, present participle bumming, simple past and past participle bummed)(colloquial) (transitive) [with off or (nonstandard) off of] To ask someone to give one (something) for free; to beg for something. Synonyms: cadge (British); see also Thesaurus:scrounge (intransitive) To stay idle and unproductive, like a hobo or vagabond. Synonym: loiter (transitive, British slang) To wet the end of a marijuana cigarette (spliff). ===== Descendants ===== → French: bummer → Norwegian Nynorsk: bomma ===== Translations ===== ==== Adjective ==== bum (comparative bummer, superlative bummest)(slang) Of poor quality or highly undesirable. Synonym: bumfuck Unfair. Injured and without the possibility of full repair, defective. Synonym: duff (British) Unpleasant or unhappy. ===== Quotations ===== For quotations using this term, see Citations:bum. ===== Derived terms ===== bum trip ===== Translations ===== ==== Derived terms ==== === Etymology 3 === Back-formation from bum out. ==== Verb ==== bum (third-person singular simple present bums, present participle bumming, simple past and past participle bummed) To depress; to make unhappy. ===== Usage notes ===== This expression is typically found in the passive voice or with the dummy pronoun it; therefore, one might say such sentences as: It really bums me when it rains on a weekend. I get bummed every time my vacation ends. But (usually) not: Mosquitos and horseflies bum me every time I go to the lake. (Here not to be confused with to bug and synonyms.) That song can really bum him and his brother. ==== References ==== Douglas Harper (2001–2026), “bum”, in Online Etymology Dictionary. === Etymology 4 === See boom. ==== Noun ==== bum (plural bums) (dated) A humming noise. ==== Verb ==== bum (third-person singular simple present bums, present participle bumming, simple past and past participle bummed) (intransitive) To make a murmuring or humming sound. ==== Derived terms ==== === Etymology 5 === Abbreviation. ==== Noun ==== bum (plural bums) (obsolete) A bumbailiff. ===== Derived terms ===== ==== References ==== === Anagrams === MBU, UMB, umb, umb- == Albanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from English boom with orthographic adaptation. === Noun === bum m (economics) boom ==== Declension ==== === Further reading === “bum”, in FGJSH: Fjalor i gjuhës shqipe [Dictionary of the Albanian language] (in Albanian), 2006 == Ashkun == === Etymology === From Proto-Nuristani *buma, from Proto-Indo-Iranian *bʰúHma, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to be”). === Noun === bum (Sanu) earth === References === == Indonesian == === Pronunciation === (Standard Indonesian) IPA(key): /ˈbum/ [ˈbum] Rhymes: -um Syllabification: bum === Etymology 1 === From Dutch slagboom (“boom barrier, boom gate”) or boom (“beam, barrier, tree, pole”). Doublet of bom. ==== Alternative forms ==== bom ==== Noun ==== bum (plural bum-bum) boom barrier, boom gate (a bar or pole that can be lowered or raised to controll the traffic) (figurative) customs (government agency that handles taxes of imported goods) Synonyms: bea cukai, duane, pabean === Etymology 2 === From English boom, a onomatopoeic word. ==== Noun ==== bum (economics, business) boom (a period of prosperity, growth, progress, or high market activity) Synonym: duar === Further reading === “bum”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016 == Irish == === Etymology === (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) === Noun === bum m (genitive singular bum, nominative plural bumanna) (sailing) boom ==== Declension ==== ==== Synonyms ==== crann scóide bumaile === Mutation === == Mizo == === Etymology === From Proto-Kuki-Chin *bum. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bum/ === Verb === bum to swindle, cheat, trick === Further reading === Lorrain, J. Herbert (1940), “bum”, in Dictionary of the Lushai language, Calcutta: Asiatic Society == Polish == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbum/ Rhymes: -um Syllabification: bum Homophone: boom === Etymology 1 === Onomatopoeic. ==== Interjection ==== bum boom (sound of explosion) bang (any brief, sharp, loud noise) === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from Dutch boom. ==== Noun ==== bum m inan alternative form of bom ===== Declension ===== === Etymology 3 === Borrowed from English boom. ==== Noun ==== bum m inan alternative form of boom ===== Declension ===== === Further reading === bum I in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN bum II in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN bum in Polish dictionaries at PWN == Portuguese == === Pronunciation === Rhymes: -ũ Hyphenation: bum === Etymology 1 === Onomatopoeic. ==== Interjection ==== bum! boom (sound of explosion) === Etymology 2 === From English boom. ==== Noun ==== bum m (plural buns) boom (a rapid expansion or increase) === Further reading === “bum”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “bum”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Romanian == === Etymology === Onomatopoeic. === Interjection === bum boom == Serbo-Croatian == === Etymology 1 === ==== Verb ==== bum (Cyrillic spelling бум) (Kajkavian) first-person singular future of biti === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from English boom or onomatopoeic ==== Interjection ==== bum boom, bam == Spanish == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbum/ [ˈbũm] Rhymes: -um Syllabification: bum === Etymology 1 === Onomatopoeic. ==== Interjection ==== ¡bum! boom (used to suggest the sound of an explosion) boom (used to suggest something happening suddenly and unexpectedly) ===== See also ===== pum pop === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from English boom. ==== Noun ==== bum m (plural bums) alternative form of boom === Further reading === “bum”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025 == Transylvanian Saxon == === Noun === bum m tree === References === Siebenbürger Sachsen == Umbrian == === Romanization === bum romanization of 𐌁𐌖𐌌 == Volapük == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bum/ === Noun === bum (genitive buma, plural bums) act of building ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== bumäd bumot == Welsh == === Pronunciation === (North Wales) IPA(key): /bɨ̞m/ (South Wales) IPA(key): /bɪm/ === Numeral === bum soft mutation of pum (“five”) === Mutation ===