thimble

noun

thim·​ble ˈthim-bəl 

1

: a pitted cap or cover worn on the finger to push the needle in sewing

2

a

: a grooved ring of thin metal used to fit in a spliced loop in a rope as protection from chafing

b

: a lining (as of metal) for an opening (as in a roof or wall) through which a stovepipe or chimney passes

Examples of thimble in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For starters, there’s Lacy’s bookcase theatre, a menagerie of small figurines posed side by side, dressed in candy wrappers and offered beverages in thimbles. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 25 June 2024

But the lesson of Vancouver is that expanding health and social services without addressing opioid supply is akin to emptying an overflowing bathtub with a thimble without turning down the tap. —Keith Humphreys, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2018

These creatures, which look like thimbles with tongues and enjoy beating up Levi, really give off that vibe. 34. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 May 2024

And contemplates it: Where Wang is specific, Bynner’s Wang seems to be watching the world through a haze of opium reflected in a hundred thimbles of wine. —Wyatt Mason, Harper's Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English thymel, thymbyl, from Old English thȳmel covering for the thumb, from thūma thumb

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

thimble

noun

thim·​ble ˈthim-bəl 

: a cap or cover used in sewing to protect the finger that pushes the needle