thumb

== English == === Alternative forms === thum, thume, thumbe (all obsolete) === Etymology === Derived from Middle English thombe, thoume, thoumbe (“thumb”), from Old English þūma (“thumb”), from Proto-West Germanic *þūmō (“thumb”), from Proto-Germanic *þūmô (“thumb”), from Proto-Indo-European *tūm- (“to grow”). Cognate with West Frisian tomme (“thumb”), Dutch duim (“thumb”), Low German Duum (“thumb”), German Daumen (“thumb”), Danish and Norwegian tomme (“inch”), Norn tum (“thumb”), Swedish tumme (“thumb”), tum (“inch”), Ancient Greek τύμβος (túmbos, “burial mound”). Also compare Welsh tyfu (“to grow”), Latin tumēre (“to swell”), Lithuanian tumėti (“to thicken, clot”), Avestan 𐬀𐬨𐬏𐬙 (amūt, “strong”), Sanskrit तुम्र (túmra, “strong, thick”). The parasitic ‐b has existed since the late 13th century. Doublet of tomb. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /θʌm/, (Indic) /t̪am(b)/ Rhymes: -ʌm === Noun === thumb (plural thumbs) The shortest and thickest 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. (graphical user interface) The part of a slider that may be moved linearly along the slider. (colloquial, Internet) A thumbnail picture. A top hatch plate for covering an excavator bucket, used to keep material in the digger bucket after scooping it up, and not letting it spill out. ==== Synonyms ==== (digit): pollex, digit I, first digit (anatomy); thumby (colloquial) ==== Hypernyms ==== (digit): digit, finger ==== Hyponyms ==== (digit): opposable thumb ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === thumb (third-person singular simple present thumbs, present participle thumbing, simple past and past participle thumbed) (transitive) To touch or cover with the thumb. (transitive, with through) To turn the pages of (a book) in order to read it cursorily. Synonyms: peruse (in one of its senses), flip through To gesture with the thumb, for example when flagging a ride. (travel) To hitchhike. To soil or wear with the thumb or the fingers; to soil, or wear out, by frequent handling. To manipulate (an object) with the thumb; especially, to pull back the hammer or open the cylinder of a revolver. To fire (a single action revolver) quickly by pulling the hammer while keeping the trigger depressed. ==== Synonyms ==== (to turn pages): browse, leaf, page, peruse ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== (firing a single action revolver via hammer flicks while trigger is held down) fanning (using opposite hand instead of thumb) ==== Translations ==== ==== References ==== == Albanian == === Alternative forms === thump === Etymology === From *thon (“(finger)nail”) (modern thua). More at thua. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [θumb] === Noun === thumb m (plural thumba, definite thumbi, definite plural thumbat) stinger (of a bee) thorn, prick bell clapper, tongue (of bell) tack, thumbtack, shoe tack (spike) point of arrowhead, spiked tip of a goad or prod ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== thumbull thumboj thumbim thumbat thumat thumbues thumbac === Further reading === “thumb”, in FMGJSH: Fjalor i madh i gjuhës shqipe (in Albanian), 2026 == Middle English == === Noun === thumb alternative form of thombe (“thumb”)