| 释义 |
thumb
I. \ˈthəm\ noun
(-s)
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English thoume, thoumbe, thombe, from Old English thüma; akin to Old Saxon & Old High German thūmo thumb, Old Norse thumall thumb of a glove, Latin tumēre to swell, Greek saos, sōs whole, sound, Sanskrit tavīti he is strong; basic meaning: to swell
1.
a. : the short and thick first or most preaxial digit of the human hand differing from the other fingers in having but two phalanges and in having greater freedom of movement and being opposable to the other fingers : pollex
b. : the corresponding digit in any of various animals — see bat illustration
2. : the width of the thumb usually equated with one inch
3. : something resembling or suggesting a thumb (as in appearance, place, or function): as
a. : a thumb-shaped projection from a plant or tree
b. : a thumb-shaped pinnacle of rock
4. : the part of a glove or mitten that covers the thumb — see glove illustration
5. : a convex molding : ovolo
6. : the large fixed branch of an arthropod's chela
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- all thumbs
- under the thumb of
II. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
transitive verb
1. : to play (a musical instrument) with or as if with the thumbs
2.
a. : to examine, feel, press, point at, attack, or sort by means of the thumb
< thumbed the front door release — Newsweek >
< thumbed him in the eye >
b. : to bring into a specified state by gesturing with or applying the thumb
< thumbed a match afire on the packet — Thurston Scott >
< thumbed his hat off his forehead — Luke Short >
< only twice have umpires thumbed him out of a game — Newsweek >
3.
a. : to leaf through (as a book or periodical) rapidly as in searching or examining
< thumbing his billfold — Jerome Ellison >
< anyone who has even thumbed leaves in that book will have noted it — Albert Hofstadter >
b. : to read often, regularly, or repeatedly : reread
< I shall prize it and continue to thumb it — L.F.Ward >
c. : to soil or wear by or as if by frequent or repeated thumbing
< a badly thumbed law book >
4. : to retard the speed of (a fishing reel) by pressure of the thumb on the line wound on the spool or by a mechanical device especially in order to prevent a backlash
5.
a. : to request or obtain (a ride) in a passing automobile by signaling with the thumb in the desired direction
b. : to signal (an approaching vehicle) with the thumb in asking a ride
< thumbed the big trucks that started rolling — Jack Kerouac >
c. : to make (one's way) by thumbing rides
intransitive verb
1. : to turn over pages in searching or perusal
< thumb through volumes … hunting for the answer — Mech. Engineering >
2. : to travel or make a trip by thumbing rides
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- thumb one's nose |