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- pronunciation:
- buhm
- parts of speech:
- noun, transitive verb, adjective
- features:
- Word Combinations (noun, verb), Word History
| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
(informal) a poor, homeless person; tramp.
They blamed the crime on some poor bum who'd been living under the bridge.- synonyms:
- derelict, tramp
- similar words:
- beachcomber, beggar, drifter, mendicant, panhandler, vagabond, vagrant, wino
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| definition 2: |
(informal) one who does not want to work, or one who takes selfish advantage of the generosity of others.
When is that lazy bum finally going to leave our house?- synonyms:
- idler, loafer, sponger, wastrel
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| definition 3: |
(informal) one who treats others badly or unfairly.
That bum was always cheating on her with some woman or other.- synonyms:
- bastard, cad, louse, scoundrel
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| related words: |
crumb, drone, transient, wretch |
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| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
bums, bumming, bummed |
| definition: |
(informal) to ask for and obtain without intending to repay.
I tried to bum a ride to New York.- synonyms:
- cadge, scrounge, sponge
- similar words:
- beg, hitch, obtain, solicit
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| part of speech: |
adjective |
| inflections: |
bummer, bummest |
| definition: |
(informal) bad or misleading.
She got some bum advice and lost all her money.- synonyms:
- lousy, misleading, worthless
- similar words:
- deceptive, fallacious, inferior, poor, spurious, useless
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Bum probably comes from a German word Bummeln, meaning "to be lazy" or "to hang loosely."
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