foam en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈfəʊ̯m/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- [ˈfəʊ̯m] (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈfɔʊ̯m/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
- [ˈfɔʊ̯m] (General-American)
Etymology
From Middle English fom, foom, from Old English fām, from Proto-West Germanic *faim, from Proto-Germanic *faimaz, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)poHy-m-os, from *(s)poH(y)- (“foam”). Cognate with German Feim (“foam”), Latin spūma (“foam”), Latin pūmex (“pumice”), Sanskrit फेन (phéna, “foam”), possibly Northern Kurdish fê (“epilepsy”).
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) A substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains, especially
Similarly, the biotech giant Cargill has begun manufacturing a polymer from vegetable oils that is used in polyurethane foams, which is found in beddings, furniture and car-seat headrests.
2008 April 9, Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, “Harnessing Biology, and Avoiding Oil, for Chemical Goods”, in The New York Times:Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems—surgical foam, a thermal gel depot, a microcapsule or biodegradable polymer beads.
2013 May-June, Charles T. Ambrose, “Alzheimer’s Disease”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 200:
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(countable, uncountable) A substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains, especially: ▸ A collection of small bubbles created when the surface of a body of water is moved by tides, wind, etc.
’Tis thou that rigg’st the bark and plough’st the foam,
c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:Many [of the fish-traps] were full of fish that raised foam as they splashed about.
1969, Elechi Amadi, chapter 5, in The Great Ponds,, London: Heinemann, published 1970, page 45:And the heaven became livid with the violence of the tempest […] and the river was tormented into foam […]
1838, Edgar Allan Poe, “Siope”, in Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque, volume 2, Philadelphia: Lea and Blanchard, published 1840, page 22:1798, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner in Lyrical Ballads, London: J. & A. Arch, p. 12, The breezes blew, the white foam flew, / The furrow follow’d free: / We were the first that ever burst / Into that silent Sea.
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(countable, uncountable) A substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains, especially: ▸ A collection of small bubbles formed from bodily fluids such as saliva or sweat.
The horses were flecked with foam and their breathing was noisy.
1954, C. S. Lewis, chapter 9, in The Horse and His Boy, London: Collins, published 1974, page 118:“Again. Tell it again!” cried Fagin, tightening his grasp on Sikes, and brandishing his other hand aloft as the foam flew from his lips.
1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Oliver Twist; […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 190:
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(countable, uncountable) A substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains, especially: ▸ A collection of small bubbles on the surface of a liquid that is heated, fermented or carbonated.
The last of the milk vanished in a swirl of foam and gurgling.
1938, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, chapter 15, in The Yearling, New York: Scribner, page 174:A slender thread of soft-drink foam traced her upper lip;
1988, Anne Tyler, Breathing Lessons, New York: Viking, Part 2, p. 167:It was a very good palm-wine and powerful, for in spite of the palm fruit hung across the mouth of the pot to restrain the lively liquor, white foam rose and spilled over.
1958 June 17, Chinua Achebe, chapter 8, in Things Fall Apart, New York, N.Y.: Astor-Honor, published 1959, →OCLC, part 1, page 74:a quart jug with a crown of foam upon it
1859, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter 21, in Adam Bede […], volume II, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book second, page 122:
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(countable, uncountable) A substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains, especially: ▸ A collection of small bubbles created by mixing soap with water.
[…] she concentrated on the foam in the sink, tempering the water.
1964, Saul Bellow, Herzog, New York: Viking, page 255:Later we shared a bath with foam up to our ears, like they always discreetly have in films.
1988, Alan Hollinghurst, chapter 7, in The Swimming-Pool Library, paperback edition, London: Penguin Books, →ISBN, page 163:
- (countable, uncountable) A substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains, especially: ▸ A collection of small bubbles formed by mixing an extinguishing agent with water, used to cover and extinguish fires.
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(countable, uncountable) A substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains, especially: ▸ A food prepared in the form of a mass of airy bubbles.
His specialty is a mango foam.
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(countable, uncountable) A material formed by trapping pockets of gas in a liquid or solid.
A foam mat can soften a hard seat.
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(countable, figuratively, poetic, uncountable) The sea.
You must dwell beyond the foam, / But I am safe and live at home.
1885, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Foreign Children”, in A Child’s Garden of Verses, London: Longmans, Green, page 34:He is in Europe, across the foam.
But as for me, I'd sooner be A-roaring here at home About the rolling, roaring life Of them that sails the foam.
1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 171:How slowly does sad Time his feathers moue? / Hast thee O fayrest Planet to thy home / Within the Westerne fome:
1595, Edmund Spenser, Epithalamion:
- (countable, uncountable) Fury, rage, ire.
- (countable, in-plural, qualifier:African-American Vernacular, uncountable) Sneakers.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| foams | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
geofoam · foam rubber · foamless · foam cell · foambow · foam bath · foamlike · shave foam · antifoam · nonfoam · foamcore · foamy · foam-flecked · nanofoam · foam core · memory foam · foamable · seafoam · foamflower · temper foam · biofoam · microfoam · sticky foam · sail foam · defoam · foamboard · foam party · foam hand · meadowfoam · macrofoam · foamcrete · polyfoam · styrofoam · unfoam · in a foam · shaving foam · foam board · foamie · soap foam · spin foam · quantum foam · vanishing foam · foamback · foaminess · foam roller · befoam · spray foam · foam finger
Synonyms
head · froth · effervescence · mousse · froth · suds · surf · spray · froth · spume · spindrift · froth · froth · froth · fizz · lather · froth
Translations (218)
id busa (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · cjs кӧбӱк (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · lez каф (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sv skumgummi (foam rubber) · sq shkumë (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · fo skúm (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · syl ꠚꠦꠘ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sh pȅna (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · la spūma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · gu ફેણ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ja 泡 (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · be пе́на (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ba пенопласт (foam rubber) · ro spumă (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · yue 泡沫 (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ar زَبَد (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · chy é'távo (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · cv кӑпӑк (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · as ফেনা (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · mi pūpūtai (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sc ispruma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · cy ewyn (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · gl babuxa (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · arz رغوة (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · it gomma piuma (foam rubber) · nl schuim (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · pl piana (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · tk köpük (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ms busa (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · am አረፋ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · grc ἄχνη (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · cmn 泡 (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · rue пі́на (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · scn scuma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · cmn 沫 (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · lv putas (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · gsw Schuum (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · es gomaespuma (foam rubber) · pt espuma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · gl escuma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ota كف (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ru пороло́н (foam rubber) · cmn 泡沫塑料 (foam rubber) · sv skum (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · fa-ira کَف (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · bn ফেনা (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · mi pūtai (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · os фынк (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · uk пі́на (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sa फेन (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · orv пѣна (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · nn skumgummi (foam rubber) · kk көпіршік (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · as ফেন (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ayz payif (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · hi कोप (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · izh vaahto (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · de Schaumgummi (foam rubber) · tl bula (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · he קֶצֶף (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ca escuma (foam rubber) · ln mpulu (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · nb skumgummi (foam rubber) · es espuma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ca escuma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ug كۆپۈك (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · cdm भोप् (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · fr écume (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · th โฟม (foam rubber) · my အမြှုပ် (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ga cúr (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · be пенапла́ст (foam rubber) · af skuim (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · wbl xuf (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ps جخ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ary كشكوشة (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ja 泡 (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · got 𐍈𐌰𐌸𐍉 (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · cu ⱂⱑⱀⰰ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · acw رَغْوَة (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ccp 𑄜𑄬𑄚 (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · hy փրփրապլաստ (foam rubber) · gl bogada (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · kn ನೊರೆ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sw povu (foam rubber) · sh пе̏на (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · fi vaahto (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · inh чоп (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · fj vuso (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ka ქაფპლასტი (foam rubber) · rif kuffu (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · arz ريم (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sl pena (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · lo ລະລອກ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · gl foula (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · eo ŝaŭmo (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · gl cuspia (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · mi hukanga (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · kmr kef (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · nl schuim (foam rubber) · hi फेन (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sc spuma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · fr mousse (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · kk көбік (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · nap scumma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · nds-de Schuum (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · prs کَف (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · it schiuma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · cu пѣна (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · eu apar (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · cmn 泡沫 (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · uz koʻpik (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · hy փրփուր (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · et vaht (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · mn ᠬᠥᠭᠡᠰᠦ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · bg пя́на (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sw povu (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · gd cobhar (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sk pena (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sh pjȅna (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · gu ફીણ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · de Schaum (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ru пе́на (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ka ქაფი (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ko 거품 (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · cs pěna (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ur کَف (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · is frauðgúmmí (foam rubber) · uk пінопла́ст (foam rubber) · gd cop (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · om hoomacha (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · wa schome (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · udm шукы (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · vec sbiùma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · oc escuma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · mt ragħwa (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · lo ໂຟມ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ps کف (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · dlm sploima (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · hu hab (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · gl cachón (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · tg кафк (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · pdt Schum (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · pi pheṇa (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ps ځګ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · hu habgumi (foam rubber) · mk пе́на (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ur جھاگ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ang fām (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ky көбүк (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · da skumgummi (foam rubber) · crh köpük (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · acw زَبَد (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · es foam (foam rubber) · enm fom (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · lt puta (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · fi vaahtomuovi (foam rubber) · sm piapia (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · te నురగ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · rup spumã (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · io spumo (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sh пје̏на (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · yi שוימגומי (foam rubber) · nn skum (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · fy skom (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ota كوپوك (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · yag sia (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · or ଫେଣ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · haw huʻa (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · hi झाग (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · el αφρώδες ελαστικό (foam rubber) · da skum (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · bar schaum (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · fur sbrume (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ml പത (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · pa ਝੱਗ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ti ዓፍራ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · chr ᎤᏬᎩᏟ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · mww npuas (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · km ពពុះ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · th ฟอง (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · grc ἀφρός (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · kk пенопласт (foam rubber) · yi פּינע (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · hu habszivacs (foam rubber) · tr köpük (foam rubber) · lo ຟອງ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · es espuma (food) · ta நுரை (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ba күбек (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ru пенопла́ст (foam rubber) · mnc ᠣᠪᠣᠩᡤᡳ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · mn хөөс (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · hu laticel (foam rubber) · th โฟม (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · rsk пена (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · shi aluffi (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ar زَبَد البَحْر (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ga sobal (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sg pulu (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · izh koohu (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · az köpük (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · nb skum (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · vi bọt (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ar رَغْوَة (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · el αφρός (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · bho फेन (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · tt күбек (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · yi שוים (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · sc sprumma (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ckb کەف (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · bcl subo (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · yai хаф (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · tr köpük (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · pa جَھگّ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · is froða (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · ln mfulu (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains) · mnc ᡥᠣᡶᡠᠨ (substance composed of a large collection of bubbles or their solidified remains)