thumb

thumb
noun the short, thick first digit of the hand, set lower and apart from the other four and opposable to them.
verb
1》 press, touch, or indicate with one's thumb.
2》 turn over (pages) with or as if with one's thumb.
    ↘[usu. as adjective thumbed] wear or soil (a book's pages) by repeated handling.
3》 request or obtain (a free ride in a passing vehicle) by signalling with one's thumb.
Phrases
thumb one's nose at informal show disdain or contempt for. [with ref. to the gesture of putting one's thumb on one's nose and spreading the fingers.]
thumbs up (or down) informal an indication of satisfaction or approval (or of rejection or failure). [with ref. to the signal of approval or disapproval used by spectators at a Roman amphitheatre (although the Romans used the symbols in reverse).]
under someone's thumb completely under someone's influence or control.
Derivatives
thumbed adjective
thumbless adjective
Origin
OE thūma, of W. Gmc origin.

English new terms dictionary. 2014.

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  • Thumb — Thumb, n. [OE. thombe, thoumbe, [thorn]ume, AS. [thorn][=u]ma; akin to OFries. th[=u]ma, D. duim, G. daumen, OHG. d[=u]mo, Icel. [thorn]umall, Dan. tommelfinger, Sw. tumme, and perhaps to L. tumere to swell. [root]56. Cf. {Thimble}, {Tumid}.] The …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Thumb — bezeichnet: Thumb (Architektenfamilie), Vorarlberger Architektenfamilie des Barock Thumb (Band), Crossover Band Thumb von Neuburg, Adelsfamilie zur Zeit des Heiligen Römischen Reichs Thumbnail, Miniaturansicht eines Bildes einen Prozessor… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • thumb — [thum] n. [ME (with unhistoric b) < OE thuma, akin to Ger daume(n) < IE base * tēu , to swell, increase > L tumor: basic sense, “enlarged finger”] 1. the short, thick digit of the human hand that is nearest the wrist and is opposable to… …   English World dictionary

  • thumb — ► NOUN ▪ the short, thick first digit of the hand, set lower and apart from the other four and opposable to them. ► VERB 1) press, touch, or indicate with one s thumb. 2) turn over (pages) with one s thumb. 3) (thumbed) (of a book s pages) worn… …   English terms dictionary

  • Thumb — Thumb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Thumbed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Thumbing}.] 1. To handle awkwardly. Johnson. [1913 Webster] 2. To play with the thumbs, or with the thumbs and fingers; as, to thumb over a tune. [1913 Webster] 3. To soil or wear with the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Thumb — Thumb  режим процессоров ARM, в котором используется сокращенная система команд. Она состоит из 36 команд, взятых из стандартного набора 32 разрядных команд архитектуры ARM и преобразованных до 16 разрядных кодов. Длина команд Thumb… …   Википедия

  • Thumb — Thumb, v. i. To play with the thumb or thumbs; to play clumsily; to thrum. [1913 Webster] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • thumb — index peruse Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • thumb — UK US /θʌm/ noun [C] ● get/be given the thumbs down Cf. get/be given the thumbs down ● get/be given the thumbs up Cf. get/be given the thumbs up …   Financial and business terms

  • Thumb — For other uses, see Thumb (disambiguation). Thumb The Thumb. Latin pollex, digitus primus, digitus I Artery …   Wikipedia

  • thumb — [[t]θʌ̱m[/t]] thumbs, thumbing, thumbed 1) N COUNT Your thumb is the short thick piece on the side of your hand next to your four fingers. She bit the tip of her left thumb, not looking at me. 2) N COUNT The thumb of a glove is the part which a… …   English dictionary

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