Definition of “thumb” - English Dictionary

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“thumb” in English

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thumbnoun [ C ]

uk ​ /θʌm/ us ​ /θʌm/

Idiom(s)

all thumbs
thumbs down
thumbs up
under sb's thumb

thumbverb

uk ​ /θʌm/ us ​ /θʌm/
thumb a lift UK informal US thumb a ride

› to stand near the edge of a road and hold out your hand with the thumb raised as a signal for a vehicle to stop and take you somewhere:

We thumbed a lift to London.
thumb your nose at sb/sth

› to show no respect, or to raise the end of your thumb to the end of your nose to show that you do not respect someone:

He has thumbed his nose at authority all his life.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Phrasal verb(s)

thumb through sth

(Definition of “thumb” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“thumb” in American English

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thumbnoun [ C ]

us ​ /θʌm/

› the short finger that is at an angle to the other fingers:

How did you cut your thumb?

Idiom(s)

(give a/the) thumbs down
(give a/the) thumbs up

(Definition of “thumb” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

“thumb” in Business English

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thumbnoun [ C ]

uk ​ /θʌm/ us ​
get/be given the thumbs down informal

› if an idea, project, etc. gets the thumbs down, it is not approved:

The proposal was given the thumbs down at the board meeting.
get/be given the thumbs up informal

› to be approved:

The controversial merger got the thumbs up from investors.

(Definition of “thumb” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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