gaum

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I am satisfied it was named by the Diggers--those degraded savages who roast their dead relatives, then mix the human grease and ashes of bones with tar, and "gaum" it thick all over their heads and foreheads and ears, and go caterwauling about the hills and call it mourning.

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Definitions (3)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. transitive verb Upper Southern U.S. To smudge or smear.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (2)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913

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Examples

  • Gormless comes from the old Scots word gaum , meaning "attention" or "notice." —  The Word Detective
  • I am satisfied it was named by the Diggers--those degraded savages who roast their dead relatives, then mix the human grease and ashes of bones with tar, and "gaum" it thick all over their heads and foreheads and ears, and go caterwauling about the hills and call it mourning. —  The Innocents Abroad — Volume 02
  • Yah, you great gaum, you! —  John Bull's Other Island
  • I am satisfied it was named by the Diggers -- those degraded savages who roast their dead relatives, then mix the human grease and ashes of bones with tar, and "gaum" it thick all over their heads and foreheads and ears, and go caterwauling about the hills and call it mourning. —  The Innocents Abroad
  • I've always tuck pride in both you gals; but lawsy me, if Ann is goin 'to gaum' erself from head to foot like a pig learnin 'to root, why, I reckon I'll jest hang my head in shame. " —  The Desired Woman
 

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Gaum has been looked up 84 times, favorited 0 times, listed 4 times, and commented on once.

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Perhaps alteration of obsolete gome, grease, variant of coom, soot, mixture of dirt and axle grease, variant of culm2.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Perhaps a variant of gum.
 

Pronunciations
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/gɔm/
by American Heritage

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