crumb

== English == === Alternative forms === crimb (dialectal), crum (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English crome, cromme, crumme, crume, from Old English cruma (“crumb, fragment”), from Proto-Germanic *krumô, *krūmô (“fragment, crumb”). The b is unetymological, as in limb, and first appeared in the mid-15th century, influenced by crumble and words such as dumb, numb, and thumb. Cognate with Dutch kruim (“crumb”), Low German Krome, Krume (“crumb”), German Krume (“crumb”), Danish krumme (“crumb”), Swedish dialectal krumma (“crumb”), Swedish inkråm (“crumbs, giblets”), Icelandic krumur (“crumb”), Latin grūmus (“a little heap”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kɹʌm/ Rhymes: -ʌm === Noun === crumb (countable and uncountable, plural crumbs) A small piece which breaks off from baked food (such as cake, biscuit or bread). Synonyms: crumbling, crumblet A small piece of any other solid substance. Synonyms: chip, crumbling; see also Thesaurus:piece (figuratively) A bit, small amount. Synonyms: grain, morsel; see also Thesaurus:modicum Ellipsis of crumb rubber. The soft internal portion of bread, surrounded by crust. A mixture of sugar, cocoa and milk, used to make industrial chocolate. (slang) A nobody; a worthless person. Synonyms: loser, quidam; see also Thesaurus:nonentity, Thesaurus:worthless person (slang) A body louse (Pediculus humanus). ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== crumble crumpet crumbum ==== Translations ==== === Verb === crumb (third-person singular simple present crumbs, present participle crumbing, simple past and past participle crumbed) (transitive) To cover with crumbs. (transitive) To break into crumbs or small pieces with the fingers; to crumble. to crumb bread ==== Derived terms ==== crumb down crumb up crumbed ==== Related terms ==== crumple ==== Translations ==== == Old English == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /krumb/ Rhymes: -umb === Adjective === crumb alternative form of crump