Background for gums

gums

/ɡʌmz/

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noun

(often in the plural) The flesh around the teeth.

Examples :

"My gums bled a little after I flossed my teeth. "

anatomy physiology body medicine organ

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verb

To chew, especially of a toothless person or animal.

Examples :

"The elderly dog, having lost most of its teeth, gums its soft food gently. "

body physiology animal food

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verb

To deepen and enlarge the spaces between the teeth of (a worn saw), as with a gummer.

Examples :

""The saw was cutting poorly, so the lumberjack had to gum the teeth to make it more efficient again." "

technical work machine

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noun

Any of various viscous or sticky substances that are exuded by certain plants.

Examples :

"The tree trunk was covered in hardened gums that oozed out when it was injured. "

substance plant material

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noun

Any viscous or sticky substance resembling those that are exuded by certain plants.

Examples :

"The tree sap was a sticky gum, clinging to the boy's shirt after he climbed it. "

substance material

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noun

Examples :

"The store sells many different flavors of gums. "

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noun

A single piece of chewing gum.

Examples :

"Do you have a gum to spare?"

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noun

(often in the plural) A gummi candy.

Examples :

"My little sister loves to eat colorful gums shaped like bears after finishing her homework. "

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noun

A hive made of a section of a hollow gum tree; hence, any roughly made hive.

Examples :

"The old farmer still kept bees in gums he had carved out of fallen gum trees, a practice passed down from his grandfather. "

agriculture animal insect nature building

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noun

A vessel or bin made from a hollow log.

Examples :

"The family used the old log gums to store firewood. "

utensil material

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noun

A rubber overshoe.

Examples :

""My dad always wears his gums when he shovels snow so his shoes don't get wet." "

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noun

Examples :

"We saw several tall gums along the road to the campsite. "

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verb

(sometimes with up) To apply an adhesive or gum to; to make sticky by applying a sticky substance to.

Examples :

"The carpenter gums the wood pieces together before assembling the table. "

material substance action

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verb

To stiffen with glue or gum.

Examples :

"The spilled juice gums the pages of my notebook together. "

material substance

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verb

(sometimes with together) To inelegantly attach into a sequence.

Examples :

"He gummed the construction paper stars together with so much glue that they barely resembled a cohesive mobile. "

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verb

(with up) To impair the functioning of a thing or process.

Examples :

"That cheap oil will gum up the engine valves."

function process