Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Bulging; lumpy: Describes an object that is swollen, protrudes, or has an uneven, lumpy surface because it is overstuffed, packed too tightly, or contains hard objects within.
   • Causing physical irritation: Describes an uncomfortable, prickling, or gritty sensation on the skin or, especially, in the eye, caused by a foreign object or an internal source of discomfort.

2. Verb:

   • To bulge; to protrude: To swell outward or form a lump.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • Cái túi này trông rất cộm vì nhét quá nhiều quần áo. (This bag looks very bulging because it's stuffed with too many clothes.)
  • Tôi có cảm giác cộm trong mắt, có lẽ là bụi. (I have a gritty feeling in my eye, maybe it's dust.)
  • Anh ấy giấu một cuốn sách dày cộm trong ngăn kéo. (He hid a thick, bulky book in the drawer.)

• Verb:

  • Giấy tờ trong túi áo khoác cộm lên một cách rõ rệt. (The papers in his jacket pocket bulged out noticeably.)

Advanced Usage

• The word cộm often implies an undesirable or inconvenient state of being overly full or causing physical annoyance. It is frequently used with words for containers (bags, pockets) or body parts (eyes, skin).
• It can describe abstract thickness or bulkiness, as in a "thick, bulging dossier" ().

Variants and Related Words

• Cồm cộm (adj): Reduplicated form emphasizing a slight, persistent, or multiple lumpy or irritating quality.
  • Trong túi có những vật cồm cộm. (There are lumpy objects in the pocket.)

Synonyms

• Bulging: Swelling outward.
• Lumpy: Full of or covered with lumps.
• Gritty: Causing a rough, irritating sensation.
• Protruding: Extending beyond the surrounding surface.

Related Idioms

• Dày cộm: An idiom meaning "very thick" or "bulky," often used for books, files, or stacks of money.
  • Nó đưa ra một tập tài liệu dày cộm. (He produced a very thick stack of documents.)

verb

1. to bulge