thumb

The short, thick part of your hand beside your fingers.

• I hurt my thumb.
• The baby was sucking her thumb.
• Can you touch each finger with your thumb?

Common phrases: left thumb, suck your thumb, thumb joint

A small picture on a screen that you can select to see a larger version.

• Click the thumb to enlarge the picture.
• The gallery displays six thumbs per row.
• Each video has a thumb showing its opening scene.

Similar words: thumbnail

Common phrases: image thumb, click a thumb, photo thumb

The small part of an on-screen control that you drag to change a value or position.

• Drag the thumb to the right.
• The scrollbar thumb moved down the track.
• A larger thumb makes the slider easier to use.

Common phrases: slider thumb, scrollbar thumb, drag the thumb

To turn the pages of a book or magazine, reading only a little.

• She thumbed through a magazine.
• He was thumbing the pages of an old book.
• Can I thumb through your photo album?

How to use it: thumb through something (I thumbed through the magazine while waiting.)

Similar words: leaf through, browse

Common phrases: thumb through something, thumb a magazine

To hold out part of your hand by a road to ask a driver for a ride.

• We thumbed a ride home.
• He thumbed down a truck near the bridge.
• She stood by the road, thumbing for a lift.

How to use it: thumb a ride/lift (We thumbed a lift to the next town.); thumb down something (She thumbed down a passing van.)

Common phrases: thumb a lift, thumb a ride, thumb down something

To touch, press, or cover something with the short, thick part of your hand.

• He thumbed the button.
• She thumbed the smooth edge of the coin.
• The soldier thumbed the opening to keep it covered.

Common phrases: thumb a button, thumb the edge

To travel by getting free rides in passing vehicles.

• We thumbed home after the festival.
• She thumbed across the country last summer.
• He was thumbing south when we met him.

How to use it: thumb your way somewhere (They thumbed their way across the country.)

Similar words: hitchhike, hitch

Common phrases: thumb home, thumb across something, thumb your way