Skip to content
ontologydriven
Sign out

Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

rum en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /ɹʌm/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ɹʊm/ (Northern-England)
  • /ɾʌm/ (Scotland, Wales)
  • (US) audio

Etymology

In common use since at least 1654, of uncertain origin. Theories include: * that it is a shortening of rumbullion or rumbustion, names for rum also attested in the Caribbean during the mid-17th century, * that it derives from rummer, from Dutch roemer, * that it is from a Romani word for "strong, potent" which is (perhaps) the source of ramboozle and rumfustian (however, these drinks were not originally made with rum), * that it derives from rum ("fine, good") or from the last syllable of Latin saccharum (given the harsh taste of earlier rum, this origin is now considered unlikely)

Meanings

  1. (uncountable) A spirit distilled from various preparations of sugarcane, particularly fermented cane sugar and molasses.
    • The Royal Navy used to issue a rum ration to sailors.
    • — Why is rum gone? — One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels! 2003, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl:
    • That the former orders concerning rum, sugar, and hammocks be still in force, viz., one half to be forfeited to the King, and one half to the informer. 1661 July 3, Orders of the Governor and Council of Jamaica in Colonial Papers: America and West Indies (1880), §123
    • ... I went aboard the Fellowship of 100 and 70 Tuns a Flemish bottom, the Master George Luxon of Bittiford in Devonshire, several of my friends came to bid me farewell, among the rest Captain Thomas Wannerton who drank to me a pint of kill-devil alias Rhum at a draught ... 1639 September 24, John Josselyn, Journal in An Account of Two Voyages to New-England... (1673), p. 24
  2. (countable) A spirit distilled from various preparations of sugarcane, particularly fermented cane sugar and molasses. ▸ A serving of rum.
    • Jake tossed down three rums.
  3. (countable) A spirit distilled from various preparations of sugarcane, particularly fermented cane sugar and molasses. ▸ A kind or brand of rum.
    • Bundaberg is one of my favourite rums.
  4. (countable, qualifier:inexact, uncountable) A similar spirit distilled from similar preparations of sugarbeets, sorghum, etc.
  5. (countable, obsolete, slang, uncountable) A strange person or thing.
  6. (countable, obsolete, slang, uncountable) A country parson.
    • No company comes / But a rabble of tenants, and rusty dull rums. 1729, Jonathan Swift, The Grand Question Debated of Hamilton's Bawn:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
rums Number=Plur lexicographic
rhum alternative lexicographic

Coordinates

grog · grog · grog

Deriveds

rummery · rum-runner · rum tub · antirum · rumbud · rum hole · rumpot · rumseller · rumly · rumtini · rumrunner · rum popo · rum cake · Rumchata · monkey rum · rumdriver · rum bosun · hot buttered rum · bush rum · rum bud · rumshop · rumhound · rum butter · Rum-ville · rum cherry · bay rum · rum fit · rumrunning · rum ham · rum baba · sorghum rum · rummish · rum ball · rum mill · Cumberland rum butter

Descendants

ron · 莱姆 · รัม · rhum · ромъ · romo · ulwamu · rum · रम · 萊姆 · ron · ром · rama · rom · రమ్ము · Rum · 冧酒 · ラム · rom · ром · rom · rom · ရမ် · rum · rum · rum · rhum · ром · · رَم · ram · yurraamu · ром · rum

Hyponyms

rhum agricole (spirit) · sorghum rum (spirit) · tafia (spirit) · bush rum (spirit) · cachaça (spirit)

Relateds

baba au rhum

Synonyms

Nelson's blood (spirit) · strange fish · deviant · outlier · weirdo · odd duck (odd person) · abnormality (odd thing) · rumbustion (spirit) · kill-devil (spirit) · rumbullion (spirit)

Translations (88)

kk ром (distilled spirit) · nn rom (distilled spirit) · th รัม (distilled spirit) · vi rum (distilled spirit) · gv rum (distilled spirit) · ms rum (distilled spirit) · az rom (distilled spirit) · cmn 蘭姆酒 /兰姆酒 (distilled spirit) · ur رم (distilled spirit) · da rom (distilled spirit) · de Rum (distilled spirit) · gag rom (distilled spirit) · th เหล้ารัม (distilled spirit) · ky ром (distilled spirit) · nap rùmma (distilled spirit) · cy rym (distilled spirit) · it rum (distilled spirit) · sh rum (distilled spirit) · fr rhum (distilled spirit) · ast ron (distilled spirit) · cmn 朗姆酒 (distilled spirit) · tl ron (distilled spirit) · bg ром (distilled spirit) · nl rum (distilled spirit) · ca rom (distilled spirit) · mfe rom (distilled spirit) · lt romas (distilled spirit) · rcf rim (distilled spirit) · km ស្រារ៉ូម (distilled spirit) · ja ラム (distilled spirit) · el ρούμι (distilled spirit) · fi rommi (serving) · tr rom (distilled spirit) · eo rumo (distilled spirit) · bn রাম (distilled spirit) · kw romm (distilled spirit) · fa رم (distilled spirit) · uz rom (distilled spirit) · hi रम (distilled spirit) · sv rom (distilled spirit) · ar رَم (distilled spirit) · sk rum (distilled spirit) · sh рум (distilled spirit) · ko 럼주 (distilled spirit) · sq rum (distilled spirit) · bg ром (kind or brand) · hy ռոմ (distilled spirit) · sl rum (distilled spirit) · nrf rhunme (distilled spirit) · te రమ్ము (distilled spirit) · cmn 萊姆酒 /莱姆酒 (distilled spirit) · es romo (distilled spirit) · fi rommi (kind or brand) · pl rum (distilled spirit) · ru ром (distilled spirit) · lv rums (distilled spirit) · gl ron (distilled spirit) · es ron (distilled spirit) · et rumm (distilled spirit) · ro rom (serving) · mk рум (distilled spirit) · fi rommi (distilled spirit) · ro rom (kind or brand) · oc ròm (distilled spirit) · is romm (distilled spirit) · ka რომი (distilled spirit) · tg ром (distilled spirit) · ga rum (distilled spirit) · hu rum (distilled spirit) · lo ເຫລົ້າອ້ອຍ (distilled spirit) · my ရမ် (distilled spirit) · th เหล้า (distilled spirit) · vi rượu rum (distilled spirit) · cs rum (distilled spirit) · ja ラム酒 (distilled spirit) · uk ром (distilled spirit) · zu ulwamu class 1a/2a (distilled spirit) · fo romm (distilled spirit) · be ром (distilled spirit) · ro rom (distilled spirit) · nb rom (distilled spirit) · pt rum (distilled spirit) · ko(distilled spirit) · mi rama (distilled spirit) · km ស្រាអំពៅ (distilled spirit) · he רום (distilled spirit) · scn rummu (distilled spirit) · yue 冧酒 (distilled spirit)

wikidata: Q83376 · wikidata: Q83376 · wikidata: Q83376

Source: en.wiktionary, “rum” (noun), dump 20260902, contributors via the page history. Text licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

rum en · ADJ · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • /ɹʌm/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ɹʊm/ (Northern-England)
  • /ɾʌm/ (Scotland, Wales)
  • (US) audio

Etymology

From the earlier form rome (“good”, slang); possibly of Romani origin; compare rom.

Meanings

  1. (obsolete) Fine, excellent, valuable.
    • having a rum time
  2. (UK, dated, informal) Strange, peculiar.
    • "Can't you see him?" "Well, I almost thought I did—for a moment. It's such a rum light." 1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian:
    • "Lor, Noah!" said Charlotte, "What a rum creature you are! Why don't you let the boy alone?" 1838, Boz [pseudonym; Charles Dickens], Oliver Twist; […], volume (please specify |volume=I, II, or III), London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC:
    • "She's as 'appy as Larry, but she'll neither move nor eat. It's a rum 'un, isn't it?" It was very rum indeed. 1976, James Herriot, All Things Wise and Wonderful, page 346:
    • "But you think he's right?" "Could be. They're rum birds, all right." 1957, Sydney J. Bounds, The Robot Brains, London: Digit Books, page 35:
    • a rum idea; a rum fellow
    • The young men had exchanged few observations; but in crossing Union Square, in front of the monument to Washington—in the very shadow, indeed, projected by the image of the pater patriae—one of them remarked to the other, “It seems a rum-looking place.” “Ah, very odd, very odd,” said the other, who was the clever man of the two. 1878, Henry James, An International Episode:
    • [H]e stared after Pynsent stupidly, and pronounced to the landlord over the counter that he was a rum one. 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 27, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
rummer Degree=Cmp lexicographic
rummest Degree=Sup lexicographic

Deriveds

rummery · antirum · rumbud · rumless · rumpot · rumseller · rumly · rumrunner · rumdriver · rumshop · rumhound · Rum-ville · rumness · rum deal · rumrunning · rummish · rum go

Synonyms

exceptional (fine, excellent, valuable) · rummy · queer · pukka · top-notch · bizarre (strange, peculiar)

rum en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • /ɹʌm/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ɹʊm/ (Northern-England)
  • /ɾʌm/ (Scotland, Wales)
  • (US) audio

Etymology

From the earlier form rome (“good”, slang); possibly of Romani origin; compare rom.

Meanings

  1. (UK, colloquial, dated) Any odd person or thing.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
rums Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

rum cull

Source: en.wiktionary, “rum” (noun), dump 20260902, contributors via the page history. Text licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

rum en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

  • /ɹʌm/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
  • /ɹʊm/ (Northern-England)
  • /ɾʌm/ (Scotland, Wales)
  • (US) audio

Etymology

Shortening of rummy.

Meanings

  1. (rare) The card game rummy.

Deriveds

boathouse rum · 500 rum

Relateds

rum tum ditty · rum-tum