strum
/strʌm
/verb (strums, strumming, strummed) [with object]
1Play (a guitar or similar instrument) by sweeping the thumb or a plectrum up or down across the strings: he was sitting in the bedroom strumming a guitar [no object]: the minister strummed on his guitar...
- He placed his fingers on some strings, and strummed the instrument.
- He began to strum his guitar strings gently to the tune of ‘Meant For You.’
- I followed the sound of his fingers strumming the guitar strings and his smooth voice singing lyrics that I couldn't understand.
1.1Play (a tune) by strumming the strings of a guitar or similar instrument: he strummed a few chords...
- He strummed a slow tune, his rich baritone filling the air.
- I'm strumming a tune on my morin khuur and I'm reading DC Comics Superman / Batman #17.
- Before long he looked up and strummed a little tune like he had at the café when I'd been severely annoyed.
1.2 [no object] Play casually or unskilfully on a stringed or keyboard instrument: the guitar player strummed along respectfully...
- He picked up his guitar and started strumming away while singing his song.
- "That stuff don't matter, " I'd say as I strummed away.
- She nodded, her fingers still strumming lazily.
noun
1A sound made by strumming a guitar or similar instrument: the brittle strum of acoustic guitars...
- Their conversation was interrupted by a strum on an acoustic guitar.
- The song begins slowly and reflectively, with the solo strum of an acoustic guitar.
- The soft strums from the guitar at times sounded more like a harp.
1.1An act or period of strumming a guitar or similar instrument.With a solid 3 / 16th of an inch extending from your fingertips, you can get a nice, authoritative strum going with very little effort....
- I didn't have to wait long before Rowan made a motion with his hand and with a strum of Andy's guitar the song began.
Derivatives
strummer
- Folky guitar strummers, pop balladeers and jazz groups still prefer quiet, seated audiences.
- As I walked around the outskirts of the mosque, I saw Uighur lute strummers congregating for impromptu performances.
- The spirits of old Delta bluesmen, Appalachian front-porch strummers, and folk troubadors live in a guitar's wooden hole.
Origin
Late 18th century: imitative; compare with thrum1.