/ bʌm; NAmE / noun , verb , adjective
■ noun ( informal )
1.
( BrE ) the part of the body that you sit on
SYN backside , behind , bottom
2.
( especially NAmE ) a person who has no home or job and who asks other people for money or food :
a beach bum (= sb who spends all their time on the beach, without having a job)
3.
a lazy person who does nothing for other people or for society :
He's nothing but a no-good bum!
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IDIOMS
- bums on seats
- give sb / get the bum's rush
■ verb ( -mm- ) [ vn ]
1.
bum sth (off sb) ( informal ) to get sth from sb by asking
SYN cadge :
Can I bum a cigarette off you?
2.
bum sb (out) ( NAmE , informal ) to make sb feel upset or disappointed
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PHRASAL VERBS
- bum around / about
■ adjective
[ only before noun ] ( informal ) of bad quality; wrong or useless :
He didn't play one bum note.
a bum deal (= a situation where you do not get what you deserve or have paid for)
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WORD ORIGIN
noun sense 1 late Middle English : of unknown origin.
noun senses 2 to 3 and verb adjective mid 19th cent.: probably from bummer .