thumbed
Elementary (A2)
IPA: /θʌmd/
KK: /θʌmd/
adjective
Definition
Having a particular kind of thumb or characterized by the thumb.
Example
The thumbed pages of the book showed how much it had been read.
Conversation
Did you notice his thumbed pages in that old book?
Yeah, it looked like he really loved reading it.
I think a well-loved book adds character, don’t you?
Definitely! It tells a story of its own.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
opposable
grasping
prehensile
Antonyms
ungraspable
inflexible
clumsy
verb
Definition
To have pressed, moved, or turned something with the thumb, often used in the context of flipping through pages or handling something casually.
Example
She thumbed through the magazine while waiting for her appointment.
Tense Forms
Past: thumbed
Past Participle: thumbed
Conversation
Did you see the book I thumbed through yesterday?
Yeah, I noticed it on the table. Was it interesting?
It was! I really enjoyed the parts I thumbed through.
Root Explanation
Thumbed → The word 'thumbed' is derived from 'thumb' (from Old English 'þūma', meaning the short, thick digit on the hand) and the suffix '-ed' (indicating a past action or condition). Thus, 'thumbed' refers to having used the thumb, often in the context of handling or manipulating something.
Memory Tip
Think of the 'thumb' as the short digit on your hand, and remember that 'thumbed' means having used that thumb to do something.
Visually Confused Words
unthumbed
tumbled
thimbled