gum
gum — adjective
1. Covered with a layer of glue or sticky material, especially the kind that become
Covered with a layer of glue or sticky material, especially the kind that becomes sticky when you wet it, so it can be used to seal or attach things.
Wei licked the gummed edge of the envelope and pressed it firmly shut.
gummed edge of [paper item]
Olga wet the gummed side of the stamp before sticking it on the envelope.
These gummed labels work well for addressing packages by hand.
The gummed tape must be moistened with water before it will stick to the cardboard box.
A sheet of gummed paper was included in the craft kit for making homemade stickers.
- adhesive
broader — refers to anything that sticks, not specifically moisture-activated
- glue-coated
more literal and less common; describes the physical coating
- sticky
simpler but less precise — sticky things may already be tacky without moisture
- non-adhesive
does not stick at all
文法句型
gummed + noun
用法筆記
Most commonly found on envelopes, stamps, labels, and tape. The glue is activated by moisture, unlike the peel-and-stick adhesive on modern stickers. The adjective 'gummed' is the past-participle form of the verb 'gum' (see verb senses below).
常見錯誤
gum — noun
1. The firm, pink area of flesh in the mouth that covers the bones of the jaw and s
The firm, pink area of flesh in the mouth that covers the bones of the jaw and surrounds the base of the teeth.
The dentist told Mei that her gums were slightly swollen and needed more careful cleaning.
gums + swelling / bleeding
Brushing too hard can make your gums bleed and recede over time.
The baby's gums were red and sore where the first tooth was pushing through.
Dr. Nakamura recommended rinsing with salt water to soothe inflamed gums.
Healthy gums are pale pink and fit tightly around each tooth.
- gingiva
medical term for gums, used by dentists and in clinical writing
文法句型
[possessive] gums
gums + verb
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural form (gums) even when referring to the tissue around a single tooth. The singular 'gum' is rare and sounds technical.
常見錯誤
2. A type of sweet candy that you chew for a long time but do not swallow, made fro
A type of sweet candy that you chew for a long time but do not swallow, made from a rubbery substance and available in many flavors.
Theo offered his friend a piece of mint gum after lunch.
piece of gum / stick of gum
Some schools do not allow students to chew gum during class.
chew gum
Fatima accidentally stepped on someone's gum in the hallway and got it stuck to her shoe.
Kim bought a pack of fruit-flavored gum at the convenience store near the station.
Blowing bubbles with bubble gum is harder than it looks.
- chewing gum
the full form of the word; slightly more formal
- bubble gum
a type of gum specifically made for blowing bubbles — usually pink and sweeter
文法句型
piece of gum
stick of gum
chew gum
用法筆記
As an uncountable noun ('some gum', 'a stick of gum'), it refers to the substance. The countable form 'a gum' is rare and only used in commercial contexts ('a fruit gum' = a single piece).
常見錯誤
3. A thick, sticky substance that comes out of some trees and plants when their bar
A thick, sticky substance that comes out of some trees and plants when their bark is cut, used to make glue, thicken food, or bind materials together.
Gum from acacia trees is used to make glue and food thickeners.
gum from [tree species]
The candy was made with natural plant gum instead of gelatin.
natural gum / plant gum
Artists have used gum arabic for centuries to bind pigments in watercolor paints.
This thick gum hardens into a solid layer when it is exposed to air.
The label says the sauce contains xanthan gum as a stabilizer.
文法句型
gum from [plant]
[plant] gum
用法筆記
Often specified by the plant source (gum arabic, gum acacia, xanthan gum). In food contexts, gums are used as thickeners and emulsifiers. Do not confuse with chewing gum, which is a manufactured product named after this natural substance.
常見錯誤
4. A tall tree that produces a sticky substance from its bark, especially a eucalyp
A tall tree that produces a sticky substance from its bark, especially a eucalyptus tree, which is common in Australia.
The tall gum trees in the park provided much-needed shade on hot summer days.
gum tree
Koalas feed almost entirely on the leaves of certain types of gum trees.
Gum trees are known for the sticky sap that oozes from their bark, which is why they are called gum trees.
Farmers planted rows of gum trees along the road to act as a windbreak.
A flock of parrots landed in the old gum tree behind the house.
- eucalyptus
the scientific name for the most common type of gum tree
- eucalypt
a shorter botanical term for any tree in the eucalyptus family
文法句型
gum tree
gum + noun
用法筆記
In British and Australian English, 'gum tree' most often refers to eucalyptus trees. In American English, it can also refer to other trees that produce gum, such as black gum or sweet gum. The phrase 'up a gum tree' is an Australian idiom meaning 'in a difficult situation'.
gum — verb
1. To block, clog, or cause something to stop working properly by getting sticky ma
To block, clog, or cause something to stop working properly by getting sticky material attached to its moving parts or inner surface.
Too much glue will gum up the nozzle of the bottle if you are not careful.
gum up [something] — phrasal verb for blocking
The old paint had gummed the hinges, so the door would not open properly.
Grease from the frying pan had gummed up the kitchen drain over several months.
The machine stopped running because the gears were gummed with dried oil and dust.
If you pour fat down the sink, it will gum the pipes and cause a blockage.
文法句型
gum + noun + up
be gummed up
用法筆記
Most commonly appears in the phrasal verb 'gum up' (e.g., 'gum up the works' is a fixed expression meaning to cause a process to stop). Frequently used in the passive voice: 'the drain was gummed up with grease.' The form 'gummed' is the past tense and past participle of the verb 'gum' (base form used as headword).
常見錯誤
2. To chew food by pressing it between the gums instead of using teeth, as a baby o
To chew food by pressing it between the gums instead of using teeth, as a baby or a person who has lost their teeth might do.
The old dog gummed his food happily because he had lost most of his teeth.
gummed his food — animal or person without teeth
The baby gummed the soft cookie until it dissolved in her mouth.
Grandpa gummed the bread slowly, smiling at his grandson across the table.
Without his dentures in place, he could only gum his breakfast that morning.
文法句型
gum + food
用法筆記
A rare but vivid word. Most often used for babies (teething stage) or elderly people and animals who have lost their teeth. The image is gentle and descriptive rather than technical.
3. To produce and release a thick, sticky substance from a cut or damaged part of t
To produce and release a thick, sticky substance from a cut or damaged part of the bark or stem, as a natural response of certain trees and plants.
The cherry tree started to gum where the branch had been cut during pruning.
[tree] gums where cut or damaged
When the bark is damaged by insects, the tree gums over the wound to protect itself.
gum over [a wound]
Thick golden drops of resin gummed slowly from the pine tree's cracked trunk.
Farmers collect the sticky sap that gums from the rubber trees each morning.
文法句型
[tree/plant] gums
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively for trees and plants. The verb is intransitive (the tree gums) or used with 'over' to describe the sealing of a wound. Not to be confused with the transitive verb meaning 'to apply glue to something.'
4. To become sticky or to form a sticky mass, especially when pieces of something s
To become sticky or to form a sticky mass, especially when pieces of something stick together because of moisture, heat, or a natural adhesive quality.
The sweets had gummed together in the heat of the car and formed a sticky lump.
gum together — pieces sticking as a mass
Leftover syrup will gum on the stove if you do not wipe it off straight away.
The old glue had gummed inside the bottle and could no longer be used.
The pages of the book had gummed together after the water damage.
- separate
to come apart or pull apart
文法句型
gum together
gum + adverb
用法筆記
This sense describes a process that happens naturally or accidentally, not an intentional action. Often paired with 'together' to indicate multiple items fusing into one mass. Common in informal descriptions of old or damaged items.