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Definition of thumb
1 : the short thick digit of the human hand that is analogous in position to the big toe and differs from the other fingers in having only two phalanges, allowing greater freedom of movement, and being opposable to each of them; also : a corresponding digit in lower animals
2 : the part of a glove or mitten that covers the thumb
3 : a convex molding : ovolo
all thumbs
: extremely awkward or clumsy
under one's thumb
orunder the thumb
: under control : in a state of subservience her father did not have her that much under his thumb — Hamilton Basso
From the M-W Editors
Examples of thumb in a Sentence
a little girl sucking her thumb
I accidentally cut my thumb.
My mitten has a hole in the thumb.
Recent Examples of thumb from the Web
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For best results at harvest, pick carefully, rolling blueberries from the cluster with the thumb into the palm of the hand.
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Women - A good rule of thumb is to avoid open toed shoes or sling back shoes, opting for a traditional pump or flat.
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Cons: This rule of thumb applies only to people making between $50,000 and $300,000.
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The rule of thumb is to build three ships in order to have one at sea at any one time.
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Some may say that enlisting three native New Yorkers — Sam Sifton, Melissa Clark and me — amounted to putting a thumb on the scale.
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In Diamond-Blackfan anemia, for instance, the bone marrow that generates new blood cells is faulty, but patients also often have birth defects such as a small head and misshapen or missing thumbs.
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The home was built out of four cylindrical volumes that are covered in timber slats to help keep it from standing out like a sore thumb in the forest.
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The gesture - both with thumb curled in and sticking out - enjoyed a long history before anyone ever plugged in an electric guitar, though.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'thumb'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of thumb
Middle English thoume, thoumbe, from Old English thūma; akin to Old High German thūmo thumb, Latin tumēre to swell
Other Anatomy Terms
thumb
Definition of thumb
intransitive verb
1 : to turn over pages thumb through a book
2 : to travel by thumbing rides : hitchhike thumbed across the country
transitive verb
1 : to request or obtain (a ride) in a passing automobile by signaling with the thumb
2a : to leaf through (pages) with the thumb : turnb : to soil or wear by or as if by repeated thumbing a badly thumbed book
thumb one's nose
1 : to express disdain or defiance thumb their nose at opulence — Sales Management
2 : to place the thumb at one's nose and extend the fingers as a gesture of scorn or defiance
Examples of thumb in a Sentence
I thumbed a ride to school.
He thumbed his way to New York.
He thumbed across the country.
First Known Use of thumb
circa 1647
THUMB Defined for English Language Learners
thumb
playDefinition of thumb for English Language Learners
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: the short, thick finger on the side of your hand
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: the part of a glove or mitten that covers a thumb
thumb
Definition of thumb for English Language Learners
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: to ask for or get a ride in a passing vehicle by sticking out your arm with your thumb up as you stand on the side of the road
THUMB Defined for Kids
Definition of thumb for Students
1 : the short thick finger next to the forefinger
2 : the part of a glove covering the thumb
Definition of thumb for Students
thumbed
;thumbing
1 : to turn the pages of quickly with the thumb
2 : to seek or get (a ride) in a passing automobile by signaling with the thumb
Medical Dictionary
thumb
playMedical Definition of thumb
: the short and thick first or most preaxial digit of the human hand that differs from the other fingers in having only two phalanges, in having greater freedom of movement, and in being opposable to the other fingers
Illustration of thumb
Learn More about thumb
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See words that rhyme with thumb Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for thumb Spanish Central: Translation of thumb Nglish: Translation of thumb for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of thumb for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about thumb
Seen and Heard
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