I. ˈpäm, ˈpälm, ˈpȯm, ˈpȯlm noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, from Latin palma palm of the hand, palm tree; from the resemblance of the tree's leaves to the outstretched hand; akin to Greek palamē palm of the hand, Old English folm, Old Irish lám hand
Date: before 12th century
1. : any of a family (Palmae syn. Arecaceae) of mostly tropical or subtropical monocotyledonous trees, shrubs, or vines with usually a simple stem and a terminal crown of large pinnate or fan-shaped leaves
2. : a leaf of the palm as a symbol of victory or rejoicing ; also : a branch (as of laurel) similarly used
3. : a symbol of triumph or superiority ; also : victory , triumph
4. : an addition to a military decoration in the form of a palm frond especially to indicate a second award of the basic decoration
• palm·like -ˌlīk adjective
[
palm 1
]
II. noun
Etymology: Middle English paume, palme, from Anglo-French, from Latin palma
Date: 14th century
1. : the somewhat concave part of the human hand between the bases of the fingers and the wrist or the corresponding part of the forefoot of a lower mammal
2. : a flat expanded part especially at the end of a base or stalk (as of an anchor)
3.
[Latin palmus, from palma ]
: a unit of length based on the breadth or length of the hand
4. : something (as a part of a glove) that covers the palm of the hand
5. : an act of palming (as of cards)
III. transitive verb
Date: 1673
1.
a. : to conceal in or with the hand
palm a card
b. : to take or pick up stealthily
c. : to hand stealthily
palm ed him a dollar bill
2. : to impose by fraud
a second imposter to be palm ed upon you — Sir Walter Scott
3. : to touch with the palm: as
a. : to stroke with the palm or hand
b. : to allow (a basketball) to come to rest momentarily in the hand while dribbling thus committing a violation