English Explanatory Dictionary

bum

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The buttocks.
  2. The anus.
  3. An act of anal sex.
verb
  1. To sodomize; to engage in anal sex.
intj
  1. An expression of annoyance.
noun
  1. A homeless person, usually a man.
  2. A lazy, incompetent, or annoying person, usually a man.
  3. A player or racer who often performs poorly.
  4. A drinking spree.
verb
  1. [with off or (nonstandard) off of] To ask someone to give one (something) for free; to beg for something.
  2. To stay idle and unproductive, like a hobo or vagabond.
  3. To wet the end of a marijuana cigarette (spliff).
adj
  1. Of poor quality or highly undesirable.
  2. Unfair.
  3. Injured and without the possibility of full repair, defective.
  4. Unpleasant or unhappy.
verb
  1. To depress; to make unhappy.
noun
  1. A humming noise.
verb
  1. To make a murmuring or humming sound.
noun
  1. A bumbailiff.

Pronunciation

/bʌm/ en-ca-bum.ogg EN-AU ck1 bum.ogg

Word forms

bum bums bumming bummed bummer bummest

Etymology

Attested since the 1300s, as Middle English bom (found in John Trevisa's 1387 Translation of the 'Polychronicon' of Ranulph Higden, "his bom is oute"), of uncertain origin. Sometimes suggested to be a shortening of botme, botom, bottum (“bottom”), but this is contradicted by the fact that bottom is not attested in reference to the buttocks until the late 1700s. Suggested by some old and modern references to be onomatopoeic. Compare also Old Irish, Scottish Gaelic bun (“base, bottom”). The anal sex senses (noun and verb), as well as the adjective (esp. the first) sense, are expletive-avoiding (i.e. Bowdlerized) shortenings of bumfuck.

Synonyms

'tocks arse arse cheeks ass ass cheeks back backside batty behind blessed assurance booty botty bottom bum bum cheeks buns butt butt cheeks buttocks caboose cheeks derriere dicky fanny fourth point of contact gluteus maximus glutes gooseberry-grinder gyatt heinie hiney hinderlin hurdies jacksie keester keister moon moneymaker nates nether cheeks patootie peach posterior rear rear end rump seat sit upon tail toches tush tushie a-hole anus arsehole asscunt asshole asspussy back alley back door

Derived words

bare-bum belfie builder's bum bum bag bumbaste bum boy bumboy bum-breathing bum-bum bum bum bum burp bum cheeks bum chin bum chum bum cleavage bum-clock bum crack bum-fluff bumfluff bum fluff bum-fluffed bumfodder bum fodder bumfoolery bumfreezer bumfuck bum-fuck nowhere bum fuck nowhere bum gun bum head bumhole bumload bumlord bum roll bum sex bumshoving bum shuffle bums in seats bum-squabble bum squabble bum squabbled bumster bumsters bum-sucker bumsucker bum-sucking bumtastic bumwad bum wine face like a slapped bum face like a smacked bum front bum head down, bum up kick up the bum land with one's bum in the butter pain in the bum shiny bum shitbum smooth as a baby's bum squeaky bum time
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