thumb
/θʌm/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- The short, thick first digit of the human hand: The thumb is the digit on the side of the hand, opposable to the other four fingers, crucial for grasping.
- The part of a glove covering this digit: The section of a glove designed to fit over the thumb.
- A convex molding: In architecture, a molding with a cross-section shaped like a quarter-circle or ellipse.
Verb:
- To handle or feel with the fingers: To touch, feel, or manipulate something, often clumsily or repeatedly, with the fingers and thumb.
- To browse or look through quickly: To turn the pages of a book, magazine, or document rapidly, often using the thumb.
- To solicit or get a free ride by signaling with the thumb: To travel by hitchhiking, using a raised thumb as a signal to passing drivers.
Usage Examples
Noun:
- She accidentally hit her thumb with the hammer.
- There's a hole in the thumb of my glove.
- The cabinet features a classic thumb molding along its edge.
Verb:
- He nervously thumbed the edge of the paper.
- I only had time to thumb through the catalog before the meeting.
- In his youth, he thumbed his way across the country.
Advanced Usage
"to thumb one's nose at": To show contempt or defiance for someone or something, often by a rude gesture or attitude.
- The rebellious student thumbed his nose at the school's dress code.
"to be under someone's thumb": To be completely controlled or dominated by someone.
- He is completely under his boss's thumb and never disagrees.
"to stick out like a sore thumb": To be very obvious or conspicuous in an unpleasant or awkward way.
- His formal suit stuck out like a sore thumb at the casual beach party.
Variants and Related Words
- Thumbnail (n): The hard covering at the end of the thumb; also, a very small or concise version of something (e.g., a thumbnail sketch).
- Thumbscrew (n): An old instrument of torture; also, a screw designed to be turned by the thumb and fingers.
- All thumbs (adj. phrase): Very clumsy or awkward with one's hands.
- I'm all thumbs when it comes to sewing.
Synonyms
- Noun: First digit, pollex (technical).
- Verb (to browse): Flip through, leaf through, skim. (To hitchhike): Hitch, hitch a ride.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Thumb through: To look through (a book, pages) quickly by turning them.
- She thumbed through the magazine in the waiting room.
Related Idioms
- Green thumb: A natural talent for gardening.
- My grandmother has a green thumb; her garden is always beautiful.
- Rule of thumb: A practical, approximate method or principle based on experience rather than theory.
- As a rule of thumb, you should water the plant once a week.
- Thumbs up / Thumbs down: Gestures or expressions indicating approval/agreement or disapproval/rejection.
- The committee gave the proposal a thumbs up.
Noun
- a convex molding having a cross section in the form of a quarter of a circle or of an ellipse
- the part of a glove that provides a covering for the thumb
- the thick short innermost digit of the forelimb
Verb
- feel or handle with the fingers
- finger the binding of the book
- look through a book or other written material
- He thumbed through the report
- She leafed through the volume
- travel by getting free rides from motorists