gaumy

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English

[edit]

Alternative forms

[edit]
  • gormy (US dialects, especially Southern US)

Etymology

[edit]

From gaum +‎ -y, from gaum (to smear), which see for more.

Pronunciation

[edit]

Adjective

[edit]

gaumy (comparative more gaumy, superlative most gaumy)

  1. (US and UK, dialects) Sticky; smeared with something sticky.
    • 1914, Edwin Markham, Children in Bondage: A Complete and Careful Presentation:
      The narrow, dark stairs are gaumy with paste, and everywhere open barrels of the mixture gave out the sickening, sour odor that is always in the nostrils of the workers.
    • 1916, Don Marquis, Hermione and Her Little Group of Serious Thinkers, page 164:
      And Fothergil Finch, rather gaumy
      With Cosmic cosmetics, was there,
      But the Swami went just as the Swami,
      After oiling the kinks in his hair.
      I said to Hermione: "Goddess! You're graceful, you're Greek, you're a rose, [] "
    • 1946, Jessie Scott, The Charity Ball, page 259:
      Far from being gaumy with pitch, they looked rather remarkably smooth and well manicured.