Link Centre Dictionary

oakum

oa·kum

UK/ˈəʊkəm/ US/ˈoʊk(ə)m/ uncommon

noun

1.

loose hemp or jute fiber obtained by unravelling old ropes; when impregnated with tar it was used to caulk seams and pack joints in wooden ships

Origin

From Late Middle English okom, okome (“oakum”) [and other forms], from Old English ācumba (“oakum”, literally “that which has been combed out, off-combings”) [and other forms], from ācemban (“to comb out”), from Proto-Germanic *uz- (from Proto-Indo-European *ud-s-, *ūd- (“out; up”), or *h₂ew- (“away from, off”)) + *kambijaną (“to comb”) (ultimately from *ǵómbʰos (“row of teeth; tooth; peg”), *ǵembʰ- (“nail; tooth; to gnaw through; to pierce”)). See also out and comb.

Phrases

  • meaking iron
  • pick oakum
  • ripping iron
  • since Adam was an oakum boy
  • since Adam was an oakum boy in Chatham Dockyard
  • when Adam was an oakum boy
  • when Adam was an oakum boy in Chatham Dockyard
  • white oakum

Related words

Broader terms

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.