thumbs-up

[thuhmz-uhp] /ˈθʌmzˈʌp/
noun, Informal.
1.
an act, instance, or gesture of assent, approval, or the like.
Origin
1920-25

thumb

[thuhm] /θʌm/
noun
1.
the short, thick, inner digit of the human hand, next to the forefinger.
2.
the corresponding digit in other animals; pollex.
3.
the part of a glove or mitten for containing this digit.
4.
Architecture. an ovolo or echinus molding.
verb (used with object)
5.
to soil or wear with the thumbs in handling, as the pages of a book.
6.
to glance through (the pages of a book, leaflet, etc.) quickly.
7.
to play (a guitar or other instrument) with or as with the thumbs.
8.
(of a hitchhiker) to solicit or get (a ride) by pointing the thumb in the desired direction of travel.
Idioms
9.
all thumbs, awkward; clumsy; bungling:
The visitor almost knocked over a vase and seemed to be all thumbs.
10.
thumb one's nose,
  1. to put one's thumb to one's nose and extend the fingers as a crudely defiant or contemptuous gesture.
  2. to express defiance or contempt; dismiss or reject contemptuously.
11.
thumbs down, a gesture or expression of dissent or disapproval:
We turned thumbs down to that suggestion.
12.
thumbs up, a gesture or expression of assent or approval.
13.
under one's thumb, under the power or influence of; subordinate to.
Also, under the thumb of.
Origin
before 900; Middle English; Old English thūma; cognate with Dutch duim, Old Saxon, Old High German dūmo (German Daumen), Old Norse thumall; akin to Latin tumēre to swell (tumor)
Related forms
thumbless, adjective
thumblike, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for thumbs up

thumb

/θʌm/
noun
1.
the first and usually shortest and thickest of the digits of the hand, composed of two short bones Technical name pollex, related adjective pollical
2.
the corresponding digit in other vertebrates
3.
the part of a glove shaped to fit the thumb
4.
(architect) another name for ovolo
5.
all thumbs, clumsy
6.
thumbs down, an indication of refusal, disapproval, or negation: he gave the thumbs down on our proposal
7.
thumbs up, an indication of encouragement, approval, or acceptance
8.
under someone's thumb, at someone's mercy or command
verb
9.
(transitive) to touch, mark, or move with the thumb
10.
to attempt to obtain (a lift or ride) by signalling with the thumb
11.
when intr, often foll by through. to flip the pages of (a book, magazine, etc) perfunctorily in order to glance at the contents
12.
thumb one's nose at, to deride or mock, esp by placing the thumb on the nose with fingers extended
Derived Forms
thumbless, adjective
thumblike, adjective
Word Origin
Old English thūma; related to Old Saxon thūma, Old High German thūmo, Old Norse thumall thumb of a glove, Latin tumēre to swell
Word Origin and History for thumbs up

thumb

n.

Old English þuma, from West Germanic *thumon- (cf. Old Frisian thuma, Old Saxon, Old High German thumo, German Daumen, Dutch duim "thumb," Old Norse þumall "thumb of a glove"), literally "the stout or thick (finger)," from PIE *tum- "swell" (cf. Latin tumere "to swell," tumidus "swollen;" Avestan tuma "fat;" see thigh). For spelling with -b (attested from late 13c.), see limb.

To be under (someone's) thumb "be totally controlled by that person" is recorded from 1580s. Thumbs up (1887) and thumbs down (1906) were said to be from expressions of approval or the opposite in ancient amphitheaters, especially gladiator shows, where the gesture decided whether a defeated combatant was spared or slain. But the Roman gesture was merely one of hiding the thumb in the hand or extending it. Perhaps the modern gesture is from the usual coachmen's way of greeting while the hands are occupied with the reins.

v.

"to go through" (especially of printed material), 1930, from thumb (n.), though the related sense of "soil or wear by handling" dates from 1640s. Meaning "to hitchhike" is 1939; originally the thumb pointed in the direction one wished to travel. Related: Thumbed; thumbing. To thumb (one's) nose as an expression of derision is recorded from 1903.

thumbs up in Medicine

thumb (thŭm)
n.
The short thick digit of the human hand, next to the index finger and opposable to each of the other four digits.

thumbs up in Culture
thumbs up (down)

Expressions of approval and disapproval respectively: “The two critics disagreed about the movie; one gave it thumbs up, the other thumbs down.” In the gladiatorial contests of ancient Rome, a thumbs-up gesture from the crowd meant that the loser would live; thumbs down meant death.

Slang definitions & phrases for thumbs up

thumbs up

noun phrase

A positive response; an affirmation; the NOD: We go, the answer is thumbs up

Related Terms

thumbs down

[1887+; the opposite of thumbs down]


thumb

noun

A marijuana cigarette; joint (1960s+ Narcotics)

verb

(also thumb a ride) To solicit rides along a highway by pointing with one's thumb in the direction one wishes to travel; hitchhike (1939+)

Related Terms

a green thumb, stick out

[narcotics sense fr the fact that one sucks the cigarette as a baby does its thumb]


Idioms and Phrases with thumbs up

thumbs up

An expression of approval or hopefulness, as in The town said thumbs up on building the elderly housing project. The antonym thumbs down indicates disapproval or rejection, as in Mother gave us thumbs down on serving beer at our party. Alluding to crowd signals used in Roman amphitheaters, these idioms were first recorded in English about 1600. In ancient times the meaning of the gestures was opposite that of today. Thumbs down indicated approval; thumbs up, rejection. Exactly when the reversal occurred is not known, but the present conventions were established by the early 1900s.

thumb

also see: