thumb

6 definitions • 5 examples

the short, thick finger on the side of your hand that makes it possible to hold and pick things up easily

to stand near the edge of a road and hold out your hand with the thumb raised as a signal for a vehicle to stop and take you somewhere:

thumb a lift to We thumbed a lift to London.

to show no respect, or to raise the end of your thumb to the end of your nose to show that you do not respect someone:

He has thumbed his nose at authority all his life.

the short finger that is at an angle to the other fingers:

How did you cut your thumb?

if an idea, project, etc. gets the thumbs down, it is not approved:

The proposal was given the thumbs down at the board meeting.

to be approved:

The controversial merger got the thumbs up from investors.