thumbkin en · NOUN
Etymology
From thumb + -kin.
Meanings
- (historical) An instrument of torture for compressing the thumb; a thumbscrew.
-
(childish, rare) The thumb.
Thumbkin is the pusher. Pointer shows us where to go. Tall-man wears the thimble, And helps us all to sew.
1895, Margaret Naomi MacArthur, Kindergarten Review, Finger Play, page 75:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| thumbkins | Number=Plur | lexicographic |