gum

gum
\ \ English has three words gum. The oldest, ‘tissue surrounding the teeth’ [OE], originally meant ‘mucous lining of the mouth and throat’; its present-day meaning did not emerge until the 14th century. It is not clear where it came from, although it is related to German gaumen ‘roof of the mouth’, and perhaps to Lithuanian gomurys ‘gum’ and even Latin fauces ‘throat’ (source of English suffocate). Gum ‘sticky material’ [14] comes ultimately from Egyptian kemai, which passed into English via Greek kómmi, Latin cummi or gummi, Vulgar Latin *gumma, and Old French gomme. And gum in the exclamation by gum [19] is a euphemistic alteration of god.

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Gum — Gum, n. [OE. gomme, gumme, F. gomme, L. gummi and commis, fr. Gr. ?, prob. from an Egyptian form kam?; cf. It. {gomma}.] 1. A vegetable secretion of many trees or plants that hardens when it exudes, but is soluble in water; as, gum arabic; gum… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Gum — or GUM may refer to:Confectionary* Chewing gum * Functional chewing gum or Functional gum * Bubble gum * Wine gum * Gumdrop * Gum base * Gum industryNatural gums* Gum anima * Gum arabic * Cassia gum * Dammar gum * Gellan gum * Guar gum * Locust… …   Wikipedia

  • Gum — ist: nach ISO 3166 Länderkürzel und zugleich olympisches Länderkürzel für Guam Flughafen Antonio B. Won Pat auf Guam als IATA Code das Warenhaus GUM in Moskau die GUM Studios GmbH mit Schwerpunkt Computeranimation und Puppenspiel (Latex Figuren)… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • gum — gum1 [gum] n. [ME gomme < OFr < LL gumma < L gummi, cummi < Gr kommi < Egypt qmyt] 1. a sticky, colloidal carbohydrate found in certain trees and plants, which dries into an uncrystallized, brittle mass that dissolves or swells in… …   English World dictionary

  • Gum — Gum, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Gummed} (g[u^]md); p. pr. & vb. n. {Gumming}.] 1. To smear with gum; to close with gum; to unite or stiffen by gum or a gumlike substance; to make sticky with a gumlike substance. [1913 Webster] He frets like a gummed… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • gum up — Gum Gum, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Gummed} (g[u^]md); p. pr. & vb. n. {Gumming}.] 1. To smear with gum; to close with gum; to unite or stiffen by gum or a gumlike substance; to make sticky with a gumlike substance. [1913 Webster] He frets like a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • GUM — ist: nach ISO 3166 Länderkürzel und zugleich olympisches Länderkürzel für Guam Flughafen Antonio B. Won Pat auf Guam als IATA Code das Warenhaus GUM in Moskau die GUM Studios GmbH mit Schwerpunkt Computeranimation und Puppenspiel (Latex Figuren)… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gum — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. {{{image}}}   Sigles d une seule lettre   Sigles de deux lettres > Sigles de trois lettres …   Wikipédia en Français

  • gum|my — gum|my1 «GUHM ee», adjective, mi|er, mi|est. 1. sticky like gum; viscid. SYNONYM(S): viscous, mucilaginous. 2. covered with gum. 3. giving off gum: » …   Useful english dictionary

  • gum — Ⅰ. gum [1] ► NOUN 1) a thick sticky substance produced by some trees and shrubs. 2) glue used for sticking paper or other light materials together. 3) chewing gum or bubble gum. 4) a firm, jelly like sweet. ► VERB (gummed …   English terms dictionary

  • Gum — Gum, n. [OE. gome, AS. gama palate; akin Co G. gaumen, OHG. goumo, guomo, Icel. g?mr, Sw. gom; cf. Gr. ? to gape.] The dense tissues which invest the teeth, and cover the adjacent parts of the jaws. [1913 Webster] {Gum rash} (Med.), strophulus in …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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