bum

1 of 6

noun (1)

: buttocks
fell down on his bum

bum

2 of 6

adjective

1
a
: of poor quality or nature
bum advice
b
: not valid or deserved
writing a bum check
c
: not pleasant or enjoyable
a bum trip
2
: affected or disabled by damage or injury
has a bum knee

bum

3 of 6

verb (1)

bummed; bumming

intransitive verb

1
: loaf
bummed around the house all day
2
: to spend time unemployed and often wandering
often used with around
spent a couple of months bumming around Mexico

transitive verb

: to obtain by asking or begging : cadge
bum a cigarette

bum

4 of 6

noun (2)

1
a
: one who sponges (see sponge entry 2 sense 2) off others and avoids work
He's a lazy bum.
b
: one who performs a function poorly
called the umpire a bum
c
: one whose time is devoted to a recreational activity
a beach bum
ski bums
2
: vagrant, tramp
bums sleeping on park benches

bum

5 of 6

noun (3)

: a drinking spree : bender
a 2-day bum

bum

6 of 6

verb (2)

bummed; bumming; bums

transitive verb

US, informal
: disappoint, depress
usually used with out
The news really bummed me out.
Phrases
on the bum
: with no settled residence or means of support

Example Sentences

Adjective that was bum advice that you got from that website
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The Carry Me crossbody from July is my new bum bag. Meaghan Kenny, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2022 In the front, there is a sushi-style conveyor belt of red-hot accessories where guests can pluck a Gucci bum bag or a Balenciaga City bag at their leisure. Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 27 May 2022 Functional bum bags and backpacks, ideal for when heading out for a summer getaway, bring color, texture and heritage to a chic eclectic ensemble. Bianca Salonga, Forbes, 5 July 2021 Hauser fights through a bum knee to keep the Spartans in it, but Wisconsin — the top free-throw shooting team in the conference — seals it at the line late. Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press, 25 Dec. 2020 Hate to see QB Teddy Bridgewater miss any time with a bum knee. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 17 Nov. 2020 Lockjaw was a bum suffering from tetanus, staying in a flop in Pittsburgh. Justin Beal, Harper’s Magazine , 12 Dec. 2022 The Cowboys will need Dak to be a little more mobile with Ezekiel Elliott nursing a bum knee. Dallas News, 28 Oct. 2022 If your favorite Jeep lover is also a sun bum, gift them this cool trucker hat. Jon Langston, Car and Driver, 3 Oct. 2022
Verb
Be open to all possibilities — even ones that might bum you out. Meredith Goldstein, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Oct. 2022 If that's not enough to bum you out, then this might: September, which begins on Thursday, is historically the worst month of the year for the stock market. Paul R. La Monica, CNN, 28 Aug. 2022 As Ava quietly panics, Deborah gets increasingly frustrated with trying to articulate her traumas onstage in a way that won’t just bum everyone out. Caroline Framke, Variety, 6 May 2022 There are only regular, Gladiator-loving, cow-eating Americans, and the venomous wokery that seeks constantly to bum them out. James Parker, The Atlantic, 5 May 2022 Cords fray, laptops lag, and those old headphones on your desk are just beginning to bum you out. Haley Sprankle, Wired, 16 Mar. 2022 My view is there is no way to talk about him and his role in a way that does not deeply bum some people out. Stephanie Stradley, Chron, 11 Mar. 2022 Then in July 2017, a drunken LaBeouf was arrested around 4 a.m. in Savannah, Ga., after trying to bum a smoke off two men, one of whom was a police officer. Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2020 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bum.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English bom

Adjective

perhaps from bum entry 4

Verb (1)

probably back-formation from bummer entry 1

Noun (2)

probably short for bummer entry 1

Noun (3)

perhaps from bum entry 3

Verb (2)

probably back-formation from bummer entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1878, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

1863, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (3)

1863, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1970, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bum was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bum

Cite this Entry

“Bum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bum. Accessed 24 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

bum

1 of 5 noun

bum

2 of 5 adjective
1
a
: inferior sense 3, worthless
bum advice
b
: not true or deserved
a bum rap
c
: not enjoyable
a bum trip
2
: unable to work properly : disabled
a bum knee

bum

3 of 5 verb
bummed; bumming
1
: to wander around avoiding work
2
: to obtain by asking or begging
bum a ride

bum

4 of 5 noun
1
: a person who avoids work and tries to live off others
2

bum

5 of 5 verb
: sadden
usually used with out
the news really bummed me out
Etymology

Noun

Middle English bom

Adjective

perhaps from 4bum

Verb

probably from bummer "one who avoids work"

Noun

probably short for bummer "one who avoids work," probably from German Bummler "loafer"

Verb

probably from bummer

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