shim

1 of 2

noun

: a thin, often tapered piece of material (such as wood, metal, or stone) used to fill in space between things (as for support, leveling, or adjustment of fit)

shim

2 of 2

verb

shimmed; shimming

transitive verb

: to fill out or level up by the use of a shim

Examples of shim in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Howes, 45 at the time, works as a shim patcher in the Weyerhaeuser plywood plant at Springfield. Orval C. Johnson, Outdoor Life, 31 Oct. 2024 Fixing the vulnerability involves more than just excising the buffer overflow from the shim code. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2024
Verb
Johnston had shimmed out of his cell window – which was 1 foot wide and 4 feet tall – after cutting the center bar with a hacksaw blade. Cara Tabachnick, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2023 This process is much easier—and safer—than trying to shim up uneven corners with wood scraps or cardboard. Alex Rennie, Popular Mechanics, 10 June 2023 See all Example Sentences for shim 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1860, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1890, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shim was in 1860

Dictionary Entries Near shim

Cite this Entry

“Shim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shim. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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