Dictionary

loom en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /lʉwm/ (British, Southern, Standard)
• /lʉːm/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• (US) audio
• /lʉm/ (Northern-Ireland, Scotland)
• /luːm/ (Received-Pronunciation, Wales)
• /lum/ (US)

Etymology

From Middle English lome, from Old English *lōma, ġelōma (“tool, utensil, implement, article of furniture, household effect”) (also as andlōma, andġelōma, andlama (“utensil, instrument, implement, tool, vessel”), from Proto-West Germanic *lōmō, *lamō (“tool, utensil”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Dutch alaam, allaam (“tool, household ware or good, appliance”), from Middle Dutch andlame. Perhaps originally meaning "a thing of frequent use, thing repeatedly needed", in which case, akin to Old English ġelōme (“often, frequently, continually, repeatedly”), from Proto-Germanic *ga- + *lōmiz, *lōmijaz (“lame, halt”), from Proto-Indo-European *lem- (“to break, soften”). Compare Old High German giluomo, kilōmo (“often, frequently”), Old High German luomen (“to wear out, fatigue”), Old High German *luomī (as in gastluomī (“hospitality”), Old English lama (“lame”). See lame. Outside Proto-Germanic cognate with Russian ломи́ть (lomítʹ, “to break”), лома́ть (lomátʹ, “to break, to fracture”), ле́мех (lémex, “ploughshare”). Compare typologically Serbo-Croatian ра́збо̄ј (“loom (weaving frame)”) akin to ра̀збити (“to break, to smash, to crack”).

Meanings

1. A utensil; tool; a weapon; (usually in compound) an article in general.
   • heirloom, workloom
2. A frame or machine of wood or other material, in which a weaver forms cloth out of thread; a machine for interweaving yarn or threads into a fabric, as in knitting or lace making.
   • January 8, 1751, Samuel Johnson, "The Mischiefs of Total Idleness" in The Rambler Hector, when he sees Andromache overwhelmed with terror, sends her for consolation to the loom and the distaff.
3. The part of an oar which is between the grip or handle and the blade; the shaft.

Forms

Deriveds

handloom · power loom · loomless · warkloom · hog loom · autoloom · Jacquard loom · loom weight · broadloom · hog-loom · drawloom · heirloom · wiring loom · loom band · loomworks · backstrap loom · blessing loom · satinet loom · needle loom · workloom

Translations (131)

fo vevur (weaving frame) · yo òfì (weaving frame) · qu awana (weaving frame) · sq avlëmend (weaving frame) · et kangaspuud (weaving frame) · ovd wevstuolur (weaving frame) · ja 織機 (weaving frame) · bg тъка́чен стан (weaving frame) · pt tear (weaving frame) · cmn 紡機 /纺机 (weaving frame) · az toxucu dəzgah (weaving frame) · es caña (part of an oar) · et kangasteljed (weaving frame) · fi varsi (part of an oar) · el αργαλειός (weaving frame) · hi करघा (weaving frame) · eu ehungailu (weaving frame) · ru работа (utensil, tool, article) · sv vävstol (weaving frame) · sl statve (weaving frame) · ro instrument (utensil, tool, article) · ur کار گاہ (weaving frame) · de Schaft (part of an oar) · tr araç (utensil, tool, article) · uk кро́сна (weaving frame) · fa جولایی (weaving frame) · id mesin tenun (weaving frame) · gl tear (weaving frame) · te మగ్గము (weaving frame) · ru орудие (utensil, tool, article) · ro gherghef (weaving frame) · hu eszköz (utensil, tool, article) · ca teler (weaving frame) · es utensilio (utensil, tool, article) · es telar (weaving frame) · ja 道具 (utensil, tool, article) · hu szövőszék (weaving frame) · da vævestol (weaving frame) · ru тка́цкий стано́к (weaving frame) · es tricotosa (weaving frame) · be тка́цкі стано́к (weaving frame) · de Utensil (utensil, tool, article) · he נוּל (weaving frame) · gd beart-chlò (weaving frame) · tr alet (utensil, tool, article) · ka საქსოვი დაზგა (weaving frame) · de Webstuhl (weaving frame) · cy ffrâm wau (weaving frame) · ru средство (utensil, tool, article) · ro război de țesut (weaving frame) · id alat tenun (weaving frame) · ar مِنْسَج (weaving frame) · ro ustensilă (utensil, tool, article) · bo འཐག་ཁྲི (weaving frame) · sh stan (weaving frame) · ne तान (weaving frame) · izh pelsimet (weaving frame) · or ତନ୍ତ (weaving frame) · mk разбој (weaving frame) · mi mīhini rangaranga (weaving frame) · ja 機 (weaving frame) · ru инструмент (utensil, tool, article) · sh разбој (weaving frame) · fr métier à tisser (weaving frame) · nb vevstol (weaving frame) · eo harneso (weaving frame) · rup arãzboi (weaving frame) · ko 베틀 (weaving frame) · my ရက်ကန်းစင် (weaving frame) · rif řmarmmet (weaving frame) · sq tezgjah (weaving frame) · hy ջուլհակահաստոց (weaving frame) · uk тка́цький верста́т (weaving frame) · cmn 織布機 /织布机 (weaving frame) · az toxucu dəzgahı (weaving frame) · mr हातमाग (weaving frame) · nl weefgetouw (weaving frame) · vi khung cửi (weaving frame) · cs tkalcovský stav (weaving frame) · sk krosná (weaving frame) · nv dah iistłʼǫ́ (weaving frame) · km កី (weaving frame) · da væv (weaving frame) · de Artikel (utensil, tool, article) · cy gwŷdd (weaving frame) · ga seol (weaving frame) · ko 직기 (weaving frame) · bo གྲུ་སྐྱའི་ཡུ་བ (part of an oar) · ru черенок (part of an oar) · fi kalu (utensil, tool, article) · fi kangaspuut (weaving frame) · wbk devaṭ (weaving frame) · de Werkzeug (utensil, tool, article) · hu evezőnyél (part of an oar) · ro coadă (part of an oar) · nb vevstol (weaving frame) · tr dokuma tezgahı (weaving frame) · ms alat tenun (weaving frame) · th กี่ (weaving frame) · hu szerszám (utensil, tool, article) · es artículo (utensil, tool, article) · lo ຫຼາ (weaving frame) · sh razboj (weaving frame) · cs tkací stroj (weaving frame) · pl krosno (weaving frame) · mi anga raranga (weaving frame) · sq vegjë (weaving frame) · eo teksilo (weaving frame) · ml മഗ്ഗം (weaving frame) · eo ilo (utensil, tool, article) · th หูก (weaving frame) · ru кро́сна (weaving frame) · uli buyosol (weaving frame) · izh kangaspuut (weaving frame) · es tejedora (weaving frame) · lo ກີ່ (weaving frame) · sk tkáčsky stav (weaving frame) · nb vev (weaving frame) · ru утварь (utensil, tool, article) · lt audimo staklės (weaving frame) · hu eszváta (weaving frame) · sh стан (weaving frame) · nb vev (weaving frame) · mt newl (weaving frame) · cmn 織機 /织机 (weaving frame) · is vefstóll (weaving frame) · ru устройство (utensil, tool, article) · es herramienta (utensil, tool, article) · kn ಕೈಮಗ್ಗ (weaving frame) · ta தறி (weaving frame) · it telaio (weaving frame)

wikidata: Q173056

loom en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /lʉwm/ (British, Southern, Standard)
• /lʉːm/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• (US) audio
• /lʉm/ (Northern-Ireland, Scotland)
• /luːm/ (Received-Pronunciation, Wales)
• /lum/ (US)

Etymology

Shetland dialect, denoting a diver or guillemot, from Old Norse lómr, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂- (“to howl”) (expressive root).

Meanings

1. (dated) loon (bird of order Gaviiformes)

Forms

loom en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• /lʉwm/ (British, Southern, Standard)
• /lʉːm/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• (US) audio
• /lʉm/ (Northern-Ireland, Scotland)
• /luːm/ (Received-Pronunciation, Wales)
• /lum/ (US)

Etymology

Origin uncertain. Perhaps from Old Norse ljóma (“to shine, radiate”). Alternatively, perhaps related to Saterland Frisian loomje (“to limp, hobble”), German Low German lahmen (“to limp, hobble”), Swedish loma (“to go slowly”), Middle Dutch loemen (“to wreck, spoil”), Middle High German lüemen (“to become weak, limp, tire”); see English lame.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) A distorted appearance of something as seen indistinctly or from afar.

Forms

loom en · VERB · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• /lʉwm/ (British, Southern, Standard)
• /lʉːm/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• (US) audio
• /lʉm/ (Northern-Ireland, Scotland)
• /luːm/ (Received-Pronunciation, Wales)
• /lum/ (US)

Etymology

Origin uncertain. Perhaps from Old Norse ljóma (“to shine, radiate”). Alternatively, perhaps related to Saterland Frisian loomje (“to limp, hobble”), German Low German lahmen (“to limp, hobble”), Swedish loma (“to go slowly”), Middle Dutch loemen (“to wreck, spoil”), Middle High German lüemen (“to become weak, limp, tire”); see English lame.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To appear indistinctly, e.g. when seen on the horizon or through the murk.
   • The clouds loomed over the mountains.
   • […] yonder cloud That rises upward always higher, ⁠And onward drags a labouring breast, ⁠And topples round the dreary west, A looming bastion fringed with fire. 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XV”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 24:
2. (figuratively, intransitive) To appear in an exaggerated or threatening form; (of a person or thing) to tower; (of an idea) to impressively or intimidatingly occupy the mind; (of an event) to be imminent.
   • In the meantime, SWR staff have warned privately that an acute shortage of rolling stock is looming, because the new trains are not ready. 2021 November 3, Paul Clifton, “Network News: Rolling stock concerns as '701s' "not fit for purpose"”, in RAIL, number 943, page 21:
   • The incident erupted as tensions simmered over Donald Trump’s looming takeover of DC and his administration’s use of force to brutally achieve his anti-migrant agenda. 2025 August 13, Gabrielle Canon, “Man accused of throwing sandwich at US border agent charged with assault”, in The Guardian:
   • With no extra-time to be played and penalties looming, the Portuguese winger pounced on some hesitant City defending to run on to a Wayne Rooney clearance, round Joe Hart and slot home. 2011 August 7, Chris Bevan, “Man City 2 - 3 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport:
3. (figuratively, intransitive) To rise and to be eminent; to be elevated or ennobled, in a moral sense.
   • On no occasion does he [Paul] loom so high, and shine so gloriously, as in the context. 1822, John M. Mason, The Evangelical Ministry Exemplified in the Apostle Paul:

Forms

Deriveds

uploom · loomingly · loom large · loom ahead

Translations (34)

sv hägra (alluringly) (impend, threaten, hang over) · fr surplomber (to tower) · fi kuvastua (impend, threaten, hang over) · es avecinarse (impend, threaten, hang over) · sv hota (impend, threaten, hang over) · eo ŝvebi (impend, threaten, hang over) · ru нависа́ть (impend, threaten, hang over) · hu fenyegetően közeledik (impend, threaten, hang over) · it sovrastare (to tower) · mi raraka (impend, threaten, hang over) · eo superstari (to tower) · ga taibhsigh (impend, threaten, hang over) · sv vara överhängande (impend, threaten, hang over) · el ξεπροβάλλω (impend, threaten, hang over) · el διαγράφομαι (impend, threaten, hang over) · de dräuen (impend, threaten, hang over) · az başının üstünü almaq (impend, threaten, hang over) · cmn 朦朧地出現 /朦胧地出现 (impend, threaten, hang over) · el διαφαίνομαι (impend, threaten, hang over) · es mascarse (impend, threaten, hang over) · hu nyomaszt (impend, threaten, hang over) · cs hrozit (impend, threaten, hang over) · hu feldereng (impend, threaten, hang over) · nl opdoemen (impend, threaten, hang over) · fi siintää (impend, threaten, hang over) · nl dreigen (impend, threaten, hang over) · fr menacer (impend, threaten, hang over) · cmn 逼近 (impend, threaten, hang over) · hu tornyosul (impend, threaten, hang over) · ru нави́снуть (impend, threaten, hang over) · fi häämöttää (impend, threaten, hang over) · cs být na obzoru (impend, threaten, hang over) · de drohen (impend, threaten, hang over) · it incombere (impend, threaten, hang over)