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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 washer…

screw having a flat-sided or knurled head, so that it may be turned by the thumb and forefinger.

emity of anything; a pointed or somewhat sharply rounded end; the end; as, the tip of the finger; the tip of a spear. To the very tip of the nose. Shak.

r or characteristic mode of action, or the resistance of the keys of an instrument to the fingers; as, a heavy touch, or a light touch, also, the manner of touching, striking, or pressing the keys of a piano; as, a legato touch; a staccato touch.

A bone of the carpus at the base of the second metacarpal, or index finger.

A field range finger used in the British service.

A particular habit or manner; a peculiarity; a trait; as, a trick of drumming with the fingers; a trick of frowning. The trick of that voice I do well remember. Shak. He hath a trick of Coeur de Lion's face. Shak.

Having three fingers or toes, or composed of three movable parts attached to a common base.

a means of releasing it; especially (Firearms), the part of a lock which is moved by the finger to release the cock and discharge the piece. Trigger fish (Zoöl.), a large plectognath fish (Balistes Carolinensis or B. capriscus) common on the southern coast of the United States, and valued as a food fish in some locali…

n an honest penny, to make a small profit by trade, or the like. -- To turn around one's finger, to have complete control of the will and actions of; to be able to influence at pleasure. -- To turn aside, to avert. -- To turn away. (a) To dismiss from service; to discard; as, to turn away a servant. (b) To avert; as…

A slight twist with the fingers.

To peep; to glance obliquely; to leer. [Obs.] Which maids will twire 'tween their fingers. B. Jonson. I saw the wench that twired and twinkled at thee. Beau. & Fl.

To move or turn round rapidly; to whirl round; to move and turn rapidly with the fingers. See ruddy maids, Some taught with dexterous hand to twirl the wheel. Dodsley. No more beneath soft eve's consenting star Fandango twirls his jocund castanet. Byron.

ers and corrupts like an open sore; a vice in character. Cold ulcer (Med.), an ulcer on a finger or toe, due to deficient circulation and nutrition. In such cases the extremities are cold.

The tremulous tone produced by a peculiar pressure of the finger on a string, as of a violin.

h, breadth, quantity, strength, talents, acquirements, age, station, or the like; as, the fingers are of unequal length; peers and commoners are unequal in rank.

The nail, claw, talon, or hoof of a finger, toe, or other appendage.

To play with the fingers, as if on a virginal; to tap or pat. [Obs.] "Still virginaling upon his palm!" Shak.

An organ stop of delicate stringlike quality, having for each finger key a pair of pipes, of which one is tuned slightly sharp to give a wavy effect to their joint tone.

never pleaded without a piece of pack thread in his hand, which he used to twist about a finger all the while he was speaking; the wags used to call it the thread of his discourse. Addison.