Thug (?), n. [Hind. thag a deceiver, robber.] One of an association of
robbers and murderers in India who practiced murder by stealthy
approaches, and from religious motives. They have been nearly
exterminated by the British government.
Thug*gee" (?), n. [Hind. &?;hag.] The practice of secret or stealthy
murder by Thugs. "One of the suppressors of Thuggee." J. D. Hooker.
{ Thug"ger*y (?), Thug"gism (?), } n. Thuggee.
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||Thu"ja (?), n. [NL., from Gr. &?; an African tree with sweet-smelling
||wood.] (Bot.) A genus of evergreen trees, thickly branched,
||remarkable for the distichous arrangement of their branches, and
||having scalelike, closely imbricated, or compressed leaves. [Written
||also thuya.] See Thyine wood.
||
Thuja occidentalis is the Arbor vitæ of the Eastern and Northern United
States. T. gigantea of North-waetern America is a very large tree,
there called red cedar, and canoe cedar, and furnishes a useful timber.
||Thu"le (?), n. [L. Thule, Thyle, Gr. &?;, &?;.] The name given by
||ancient geographers to the northernmost part of the habitable world.
||According to some, this land was Norway, according to others,
||Iceland, or more probably Mainland, the largest of the Shetland
||islands; hence, the Latin phrase ultima Thule, farthest Thule.
||
Thu"li*a (?), n. [NL.] (Chem.) Oxide of thulium.
Thu"li*um (?), n. [NL. See Thule.] (Chem.) A rare metallic element of
uncertain properties and identity, said to have been found in the
mineral gadolinite.
Thumb (?), n. [OE. thombe, thoumbe, þume, AS. þma; akin to OFries.
thma, D. duim, G. daumen, OHG. dmo, Icel. þumall, Dan. tommelfinger,
Sw. tumme, and perhaps to L. tumere to swell. √56. Cf. Thimble, Tumid.]
The short, thick first digit of the human hand, differing from the
other fingers in having but two phalanges; the pollex. See Pollex.
Upon his thumb he had of gold a ring.
Chaucer.
Thumb band, a twist of anything as thick as the thumb. Mortimer. —
Thumb blue, indigo in the form of small balls or lumps, used by
washerwomen to blue linen, and the like. — Thumb latch, a door latch
having a lever formed to be pressed by the thumb. — Thumb mark. (a) The
mark left by the impression of a thumb, as on the leaves of a book.
Longfellow. (b) The dark spot over each foot in finely bred black and
tan terriers. — Thumb nut, a nut for a screw, having wings to grasp
between the thumb and fingers in turning it; also, a nut with a knurled
rim for the same perpose. — Thumb ring, a ring worn on the thumb. Shak.
— Thumb stall. (a) A kind of thimble or ferrule of iron, or leather,
for protecting the thumb in making sails, and in other work. (b) (Mil.)
A buckskin cushion worn on the thumb, and used to close the vent of a
cannon while it is sponged, or loaded. — Under one's thumb, completely
under one's power or influence; in a condition of subservience.
[Colloq.]
Thumb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Thumbed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Thumbing (?).]
1. To handle awkwardly. Johnson.
2. To play with the thumbs, or with the thumbs and fingers; as, to
thumb over a tune.
3. To soil or wear with the thumb or the fingers; to soil, or wear out,
by frequent handling; also, to cover with the thumb; as, to thumb the
touch-hole of a cannon.
He gravely informed the enemy that all his cards had been thumbed to
pieces, and begged them to let him have a few more packs.
Macaulay.
Thumb, v. i. To play with the thumb or thumbs; to play clumsily; to
thrum.