thumb
/θʌm/ (bre, ipa) · /θʌm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈthəm/ (ame, mw)
thumb — 名詞
- thumbsingular
- thumbsplural
1. the thumb is the finger on each hand that sits to one side of the other four, sh
拇指
手掌上短而粗的第一根指頭
the thumb is the finger on each hand that sits to one side of the other four, shorter and thicker than them, and can reach each one — this position lets you hold items tightly, pick up little objects, and do careful manual work.
The baby put her thumb in her mouth and fell asleep.
寶寶把拇指放進嘴裡，然後睡著了。
possessive determiner + thumb + location phrase
Minho accidentally hit his thumb with a hammer while fixing the shelf.
Minho 修架子時不小心用錘子敲到拇指。
The potter pressed her thumb into the soft clay to shape the bowl.
陶藝師將拇指壓進柔軟的黏土中，塑出碗的形狀。
Owen's thumb was sore from hours of scrolling on his phone.
Owen 因為長時間滑手機，拇指又酸又痛。
The nurse placed two fingers near the patient's thumb to feel the pulse.
護理師將兩根手指放在靠近病人拇指處，測量脈搏。
用法筆記
Countable noun. The thumb differs from the other fingers in having only two bones (phalanges) instead of three and in being able to rotate across the palm to touch each finger — a movement called opposition.
常見錯誤
2. the section of a hand covering that holds the thumb away from the other four fin
拇指套
手套中包住拇指的部分
the section of a hand covering that holds the thumb away from the other four fingers.
The left glove has a small hole in the thumb.
左邊手套的拇指處有個小破洞。
the thumb — referring to part of a glove
Devika pulled the thumb of her mitten back into shape after taking it off.
Devika 脫下手套後，把拇指套的部分拉回原形。
Tamar sewed a patch onto the torn thumb of her ski glove.
Tamar 在滑雪手套破損的拇指部位縫了一塊補丁。
The thumb of the oven mitt was too short, so the baker's wrist got burned.
隔熱手套的拇指套太短，麵包師傅的手腕被燙到了。
用法筆記
Nearly always appears as 'the thumb' in a possessive or partitive structure ('the thumb of the glove', 'the glove's thumb'). Seldom used in the plural, even when referring to both gloves.
thumb — 動詞
- thumbpresent simple I / you / we / they
- thumbs3rd person singular
- thumbing-ing form
- thumbedpast simple
1. to signal to passing drivers that you want a free ride by standing at the roadsi
搭便車
豎起拇指請求順路載送
to signal to passing drivers that you want a free ride by standing at the roadside with your hand held out and your thumb pointing upward — used mainly in the phrases 'thumb a ride' and 'thumb a lift'.
Roya stood by the highway and thumbed a ride into the city.
Roya 站在公路旁，豎起拇指搭便車進城。
thumbed a ride — common collocation for hitchhiking
In the 1960s, many young travellers thumbed across Europe for months at a time.
1960 年代，許多年輕旅人靠豎拇指搭便車在歐洲旅行好幾個月。
Ife thumbed a lift to the coast when her car broke down on the motorway.
Ife 的車子在高速公路上拋錨後，她豎起拇指搭便車到海邊。
The stranded cyclist thumbed for help for nearly an hour before anyone stopped.
那位自行車騎士在路邊豎起拇指求援將近一小時，才有人停車幫忙。
Joaquín decided not to thumb rides after dark for safety reasons.
Joaquín 決定天黑後不再搭便車，因為安全考量。
文法句型
thumb + a ride
thumb + a lift
thumb + noun
用法筆記
The object is nearly always 'a ride' or 'a lift' (e.g., 'thumbed a ride'). Intransitive use ('thumb for help', 'thumb across Europe') is less common but acceptable in informal contexts. Becoming less frequent as ride-sharing apps replace traditional hitchhiking.
常見錯誤
2. to express open disrespect, defiance, or mockery toward someone or something — o
輕視
以拇指動作或言語表達輕蔑
to express open disrespect, defiance, or mockery toward someone or something — originally by placing the tip of your thumb on your nose with fingers spread as a taunting gesture, and now also used figuratively.
Dario thumbed his nose at the judge and received a warning from the court.
Dario 對法官做出輕蔑的手勢，因而遭到法庭警告。
thumbed + possessive + nose + at — the full construction
The rebellious teenager thumbed her nose at school rules and skipped class.
那位叛逆的青少年公然藐視校規，翹課不上學。
Some artists deliberately thumb their noses at popular taste and convention.
有些藝術家刻意嘲諷主流品味與傳統慣例。
Drivers thumbed their noses at the new speed limits and drove as fast as before.
當地駕駛人對新的速限規定嗤之以鼻，照樣開得飛快。
- respect
the opposite attitude; to treat with honour or deference
文法句型
thumb + possessive + nose + at + noun phrase
用法筆記
Almost always used in the fixed expression 'thumb one's nose at (someone/something)'. The physical gesture is now rare; the phrase is mostly figurative. Distinguish from sense verb/1 — this sense is about defiance, not requesting a ride.
3. to turn the pages of a book, magazine, or other document quickly and casually us
翻閱
用拇指快速翻動書頁瀏覽
to turn the pages of a book, magazine, or other document quickly and casually using your thumb, usually to scan or browse the contents rather than to read carefully.
Brian thumbed through the magazine while waiting for his dentist appointment.
Brian 邊等牙醫邊快速翻閱雜誌。
thumbed through — phrasal verb pattern for browsing
Élise thumbed the pages of the old atlas, searching for the small island.
Élise 翻動古老地圖集的書頁，尋找那座小島。
The librarian watched a student thumb through a rare manuscript without gloves.
圖書館員看著一名學生沒戴手套就翻閱珍本手稿。
Inês thumbed quickly through the report before the morning meeting started.
Inês 在早晨會議開始前快速翻了一遍報告。
A well-thumbed cookbook on the kitchen counter showed its owner's favourite recipes.
廚房流理台上那本翻到破舊的食譜書，透露了主人最愛的料理。
- browse
more general; can apply to digital or physical content
- flip through
synonymous but slightly more informal; emphasizes speed
- skim
focuses on reading quickly rather than on the physical turning of pages
文法句型
thumb + through + noun phrase
thumb + noun phrase (pages/ book)
用法筆記
When used transitively, the object is typically 'pages' or a specific document ('thumbed the report'). When used with 'through', the object is the publication as a whole ('thumb through a book'). The passive participle 'thumbed' (e.g., 'well-thumbed pages') is common as an adjective.