Definition

1. Noun:

   • The short, thick first digit of the human hand: The thumb is the digit on the side of the hand, opposable to the other four fingers, crucial for grasping.
   • The part of a glove covering this digit: The section of a glove designed to fit over the thumb.
   • A convex molding: In architecture, a molding with a cross-section shaped like a quarter-circle or ellipse.

2. Verb:

   • To handle or feel with the fingers: To touch, feel, or manipulate something, often clumsily or repeatedly, with the fingers and thumb.
   • To browse or look through quickly: To turn the pages of a book, magazine, or document rapidly, often using the thumb.
   • To solicit or get a free ride by signaling with the thumb: To travel by hitchhiking, using a raised thumb as a signal to passing drivers.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • She accidentally hit her thumb with the hammer.
  • There's a hole in the thumb of my glove.
  • The cabinet features a classic thumb molding along its edge.

• Verb:

  • He nervously thumbed the edge of the paper.
  • I only had time to thumb through the catalog before the meeting.
  • In his youth, he thumbed his way across the country.

Advanced Usage

• "to thumb one's nose at": To show contempt or defiance for someone or something, often by a rude gesture or attitude.

  • The rebellious student thumbed his nose at the school's dress code.

• "to be under someone's thumb": To be completely controlled or dominated by someone.

  • He is completely under his boss's thumb and never disagrees.

• "to stick out like a sore thumb": To be very obvious or conspicuous in an unpleasant or awkward way.

  • His formal suit stuck out like a sore thumb at the casual beach party.

Variants and Related Words

• Thumbnail (n): The hard covering at the end of the thumb; also, a very small or concise version of something (e.g., a thumbnail sketch).
• Thumbscrew (n): An old instrument of torture; also, a screw designed to be turned by the thumb and fingers.
• All thumbs (adj. phrase): Very clumsy or awkward with one's hands.
  • I'm all thumbs when it comes to sewing.

Synonyms

• Noun: First digit, pollex (technical).
• Verb (to browse): Flip through, leaf through, skim. (To hitchhike): Hitch, hitch a ride.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Thumb through: To look through (a book, pages) quickly by turning them.
  • She thumbed through the magazine in the waiting room.

Related Idioms

• Green thumb: A natural talent for gardening.
  • My grandmother has a green thumb; her garden is always beautiful.
• Rule of thumb: A practical, approximate method or principle based on experience rather than theory.
  • As a rule of thumb, you should water the plant once a week.
• Thumbs up / Thumbs down: Gestures or expressions indicating approval/agreement or disapproval/rejection.
  • The committee gave the proposal a thumbs up.

Noun

1. a convex molding having a cross section in the form of a quarter of a circle or of an ellipse
2. the part of a glove that provides a covering for the thumb
3. the thick short innermost digit of the forelimb

Verb

1. feel or handle with the fingers
   • finger the binding of the book
2. look through a book or other written material
   • He thumbed through the report
   • She leafed through the volume
3. travel by getting free rides from motorists