loom
English
A loom.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /luːm/
- (US) IPA(key): /lum/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -uːm
Etymology 1
From Middle English lome, from Old English lōma, ġelōma (“tool, utensil, implement, article of furniture, household effect”) (also as andlōma, andġelōma, andlāma (“utensil, instrument, implement, tool, vessel”), from Proto-West Germanic *lōmō, *lamō (“tool, utensil”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Dutch alaam, allaam (“tool, household ware or good, appliance”), from Middle Dutch andlame. Perhaps originally meaning "a thing of frequent use, thing repeatedly needed", in which case, akin to Old English ġelōme (“often, frequently, continually, repeatedly”), from Proto-Germanic *ga- + *lōmiz, *lōmijaz (“lame, halt”), from Proto-Indo-European *lem- (“to break, soften”).
Compare Old High German giluomo, kilōmo (“often, frequently”), Old High German luomen (“to wear out, fatigue”), Old High German *luomī (as in gastluomī (“hospitality”), Old English lama (“lame”). See lame.
Noun
loom (plural looms)
- A utensil; tool; a weapon; (usually in compound) an article in general.
- heirloom, workloom
- A frame or machine of wood or other material, in which a weaver forms cloth out of thread; a machine for interweaving yarn or threads into a fabric, as in knitting or lace making.
- January 8, 1751, Samuel Johnson, "The Mischiefs of Total Idleness" in The Rambler
- Hector, when he sees Andromache overwhelmed with terror, sends her for consolation to the loom and the distaff.
- January 8, 1751, Samuel Johnson, "The Mischiefs of Total Idleness" in The Rambler
- The part of an oar which is between the grip or handle and the blade; the shaft.
Derived terms
- backstrap loom
- handloom
- heirloom
- power loom
- wiring loom
- workloom
Translations
utensil, tool, article
|
weaving frame
|
part of an oar
|
Etymology 2
Shetland dialect, denoting a diver or guillemot, from Old Norse lómr, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂- (“to howl”) (expressive root).
Noun
loom (plural looms)
- (dated) loon (bird of order Gaviiformes)
Translations
bird of order Gaviiformes — see loon
References
- Pokorny, Julius (1959) Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch [Indo-European Etymological Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Bern, München: Francke Verlag, page 650-51
Etymology 3
From Old Norse ljóma (“to shine”)[1].
Verb
loom (third-person singular simple present looms, present participle looming, simple past and past participle loomed) (intransitive)
- To appear indistinctly, e.g. when seen on the horizon or through the murk.
- The clouds loomed over the mountains.
- (figurative) To appear in an exaggerated or threatening form; (of a person or thing) to tower; (of an idea) to impressively or intimidatingly occupy the mind; (of an event) to be imminent.
- 2011 August 7, Chris Bevan, “Man City 2 - 3 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport:
- With no extra-time to be played and penalties looming, the Portuguese winger pounced on some hesitant City defending to run on to a Wayne Rooney clearance, round Joe Hart and slot home.
- 2021 November 3, Paul Clifton, “Network News: Rolling stock concerns as '701s' "not fit for purpose"”, in RAIL, number 943, page 21:
- In the meantime, SWR staff have warned privately that an acute shortage of rolling stock is looming, because the new trains are not ready.
-
- (figurative) To rise and to be eminent; to be elevated or ennobled, in a moral sense.
- 1822, John M. Mason, The Evangelical Ministry Exemplified in the Apostle Paul
- On no occasion does he [Paul] loom so high, and shine so gloriously, as in the context.
- 1822, John M. Mason, The Evangelical Ministry Exemplified in the Apostle Paul
Noun
loom (plural looms)
- A distorted appearance of something as seen indistinctly or from afar.
Translations
impend, threaten, hang over
|
References
- loom in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
Anagrams
- mool
Dutch
Etymology
Ultimately from Proto-Germanic *laum-, perhaps related to *lamaz (“withered, lame”). Compare the verb lummelen (“to lounge about”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /loːm/
Audio (file) - Rhymes: -oːm
Adjective
loom (comparative lomer, superlative loomst)
- lazy, pleasantly slow
Inflection
| Inflection of loom | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| uninflected | loom | |||
| inflected | lome | |||
| comparative | lomer | |||
| positive | comparative | superlative | ||
| predicative/adverbial | loom | lomer | het loomst het loomste | |
| indefinite | m./f. sing. | lome | lomere | loomste |
| n. sing. | loom | lomer | loomste | |
| plural | lome | lomere | loomste | |
| definite | lome | lomere | loomste | |
| partitive | looms | lomers | — | |
Adverb
loom
- lazily
Estonian
Etymology
Derived from looma (“to create”)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈloːm/
- Hyphenation: loom
- Rhymes: -oːm
Noun
loom (genitive looma, partitive looma)
- animal
- (informal) mammal
Declension
Declension of loom (type külm)
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | loom | loomad |
| genitive | looma | loomade |
| partitive | looma | loomi / loomasid |
| illative | looma / loomasse | loomadesse / loomisse |
| inessive | loomas | loomades / loomis |
| elative | loomast | loomadest / loomist |
| allative | loomale | loomadele / loomile |
| adessive | loomal | loomadel / loomil |
| ablative | loomalt | loomadelt / loomilt |
| translative | loomaks | loomadeks / loomiks |
| terminative | loomani | loomadeni |
| essive | loomana | loomadena |
| abessive | loomata | loomadeta |
| comitative | loomaga | loomadega |
Derived terms
- loomaaed
- metsloom
Pnar
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /lom/
Noun
loom
- hill