Thumb

Pronunciation: /θʌm/

Definitions of thumb

noun A short, thick digit of the hand that is set lower and apart from the other four and opposable to them.

Example Sentences

A1 I accidentally hit my thumb with a hammer.

A2 She sucked her thumb when she was a child.

B1 He gave a thumbs up to show his approval.

B2 The thumb is opposable in humans, allowing for a strong grip.

C1 The surgeon carefully examined the patient's thumb before operating.

C2 He had to undergo physical therapy to regain strength in his injured thumb.

Examples of thumb in a Sentence

formal She accidentally hit her thumb with a hammer while working on the construction site.

informal Ouch! I just smashed my thumb with the door!

slang I can't believe I hitchhiked all the way here with just my thumb!

figurative The new policy is a thumbs up from the employees, they are happy with the changes.

Grammatical Forms of thumb

• past tense: thumbed
• plural: thumbs
• comparative: more thumb
• superlative: most thumb
• present tense: thumb
• future tense: will thumb
• perfect tense: have thumbed
• continuous tense: is thumbing
• singular: thumb
• positive degree: thumb
• infinitive: to thumb
• gerund: thumbing
• participle: thumbing

Origin and Evolution of thumb

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'thumb' originated from the Old English word 'thuma' which was derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'thumon'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'thumb' has retained its original meaning referring to the short, thick first digit of the human hand. Its usage has also expanded to metaphorical meanings such as 'rule of thumb' or 'thumbs up'.