Link Centre Dictionary

loom

UK/luːm/ US/lʉwm/ uncommon dated
verb (3) noun (1)

verb

1.

come into view indistinctly, often threateningly

  • “Another air plane loomed into the sky”
2.

appear very large or occupy a commanding position

  • “The huge sculpture predominates over the fountain”
  • “Large shadows loomed on the canyon wall”
Synonyms
3.

hang over, as of something threatening, dark, or menacing

  • “The terrible vision brooded over her all day long”
Synonyms

noun

1.

a textile machine for weaving yarn into a textile

Origin

From Middle English lome, from Old English *lōma, ġelōma (“tool, utensil, implement, article of furniture, household effect”) (also as andlōma, andġelōma, andlama (“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. Outside Proto-Germanic cognate with Russian ломи́ть (lomítʹ, “to break”), лома́ть (lomátʹ, “to break, to fracture”), ле́мех (lémex, “ploughshare”). Compare typologically Serbo-Croatian ра́збо̄ј (“loom (weaving frame)”) akin to ра̀збити (“to break, to smash, to crack”).

Phrases

  • backstrap loom
  • blessing loom
  • hog loom
  • Jacquard loom
  • loom ahead
  • loom band
  • loom large
  • loom weight
  • needle loom
  • power loom

Related words

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.