thumbyn.
/ˈθʌmi/ colloquial.
A little thumb; a kind of pet-name for the thumb.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > limb > digit > finger > [noun] > thumb
thumba700
strongc1300
vice-hand1644
pollex1702
thumby1811
thumb-finger1855
1811 W. Tennant Anster Concert in Life (1861) 26 He never fashed his thummie.
1859 J. Lang Wanderings in India 265 The little finger replied: ‘Who told you so, Thummy, Thummy?’
1866 R. Paul Let. 9 Apr. in B. Bell Mem. R. Paul (1872) xx. 353 Now Thumby is beginning to make a grumble.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
thumbyadj.
/ˈθʌmi/ colloquial.
1. Soiled by thumb-marks.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > dirt > soiled condition > [adjective] > by thumb-marks
well-thumbed1728
thumbeda1800
bethumbed1839
thumby1900
thumb-stained1934
1900 Daily News 11 Jan. 7/2 The report books look as prosaic as any ordinary account books, only very black and ‘thumby’.
2. Clumsy, ‘all thumbs’. Cf. thumb n. 5c.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > inability > unskilfulness > [adjective] > clumsy or awkward > clumsy with the hands
handless1483
left-handed1579
butterfingered1615
heavy-handeda1634
thumbless1648
unhandy1669
mutton-fisted1737
two-fisted1774
numb-handed1849
butterfingers1851
buttery-fingered1853
cack-handed1854
Marlborough-handed1893
thumb-fingered1903
thumby1909
ham-handed1918
ham-fisted1928
1909 R. A. Wason Happy Hawkins 103 One day we was kiddin' him about bein' so thumby.
1915 Pearson's Mag. 39 28 You have no idea how thumby your fingers are when fixing a bike under shrapnel fire.
1939 X. Herbert Capricornia (new ed.) ix. 122 The box was set down, the stiff buckles of its mildewed straps tackled by a dozen thumby hands.
1974 P. Wright Lang. Brit. Industry vi. 59 Their efficiency is affected when..they are known to be..awkward,..numb-pawed, or thumby.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1811adj.1900