thumbedadj.
/θʌmd/ 1. adj. Provided with or having thumbs (of a certain kind); chiefly in combination as black-thumbed.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > limb > digit > finger > [adjective] > thumb
thumbeda1529
pollicar1656
pollical1868
a1529 J. Skelton Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng in Certayne Bks. (?1545) 41 A man would haue pytty To se how she is gumbed, Fyngered and thumbed.
1663 S. Butler Hudibras: First Pt. i. ii. 104 The Knight of Greece..With whom his black-thumb'd ancestor Was Comrade.
2. ppl. adj. Of a book or the like: Having the pages soiled or worn by the thumbs of readers; showing signs of much use. Often preceded by an adverb, as much-thumbed. See also little-thumbed adj. at little adj., pron., n., and adv. Compounds 2a, well-thumbed adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > [adjective] > by thumb-marks
well-thumbed1728
thumbeda1800
bethumbed1839
thumby1900
thumb-stained1934
a1800 S. Pegge Anecd. Eng. Lang. (1803) 232 Our old thumbed friend, Littleton's dictionary tells us [etc.].
1837 J. G. Lockhart Mem. Life Scott xxv He produced a well-thumbed copy.
1883 J. A. Symonds Shakspere's Predecessors (1900) vii. 197 They [plays] perished in thumbed MSS…before arriving at the honours of the press.
1886 R. L. Stevenson Kidnapped xxiii. 228 An old, thumbed, greasy pack of cards.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.a1529