bum

1 of 6

noun (1)

ˈbəm 

: buttocks

fell down on his bum

bum

2 of 6

adjective

1

a

: of poor quality or nature

bum advice

b

: not valid or deserved

writing a bum check

c

: not pleasant or enjoyable

a bum trip

2

: affected or disabled by damage or injury

has a bum knee

bum

3 of 6

verb (1)

bummed; bumming

intransitive verb

1

: loaf

bummed around the house all day

2

: to spend time unemployed and often wandering

—often used with around

spent a couple of months bumming around Mexico

transitive verb

: to obtain by asking or begging : cadge

bum a cigarette

bum

4 of 6

noun (2)

plural bums

1

informal + disapproving : someone who lives off others and avoids work : sponge

He's a lazy bum.

2

: someone who performs a function poorly

The fans called the umpire a bum.

3

: someone whose time is devoted to a recreational activity

a beach bum

ski bums

4

informal + usually disparaging : a person who has no established residence and wanders from place to place without lawful or visible means of support

bums sleeping on park benches

bum

5 of 6

noun (3)

: a drinking spree : bender

a 2-day bum

bum

6 of 6

verb (2)

bummed; bumming; bums

transitive verb

US, informal

: disappoint, depress

—usually used with out

The news really bummed me out.

Phrases

on the bum

: with no settled residence or means of support

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• backside
• behind
• booty [slang]
• bootie
• bottom
• breech
• buns
• butt
• buttocks
• caboose
• can
• cheeks
• derriere
• derrière
• duff
• fanny
• fundament
• hams
• haunches
• heinie [slang]
• hunkers
• keister [slang]
• keester
• nates
• posterior
• rear
• rear end
• rump
• seat
• tail
• tail end
• tush [slang]

Adjective

• bad
• bargain-basement
• cheap
• cheapjack
• cheesy
• coarse
• common
• crappy [slang]
• cut-rate
• el cheapo
• execrable
• gimcrack
• inferior
• junky
• lousy
• low-grade
• low-rent
• mediocre
• miserable
• poor
• rotten
• rubbishy
• schlock
• schlocky
• shlock
• shlocky
• second-rate
• shoddy
• sleazy
• terrible
• trashy
• trumpery
• wretched

Verb (1)

• chill
• dally
• dawdle
• dillydally
• drone
• footle
• goof (off)
• hack (around)
• hang (around or out)
• hang about [British]
• idle
• kick around
• kick back
• laze
• lazy
• loaf
• loll
• lounge
• veg out

Noun (2)

• derelict
• do-nothing
• good-for-nothing
• ne'er-do-well
• no-account
• no-good
• no-goodnik
• slacker
• vagrant

Examples of bum in a Sentence

Noun (1)

I decided to get off my bum and get some exercise

Adjective

that was bum advice that you got from that website

Verb (1)

spent most of the summer just bumming around the house

Noun (2)

if you expect an allowance, you have to do some chores and stop being such a bum

I feel sorry for bums and occasionally give them money

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This was all done with a bum wrist, which posed as an inconvenience to him at times. —Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 4 Aug. 2024

Tommy, left to prosecute the case against Rusty, has inherited a bum gig. —Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 26 July 2024

Verb

Usher, Coming Home This is Usher’s best album since 2004’s Confessions, and I’m bummed that more people haven’t listened to it. —Mesfin Fekadu, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024

A lot of environmentalists are bummed—even scared—about the results of the recent presidential election. —Kristin Hostetter, Outside Online, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English bom

Adjective

perhaps from bum entry 4

Verb (1)

probably back-formation from bummer entry 1

Noun (2)

probably short for bummer entry 1

Noun (3)

perhaps from bum entry 3

Verb (2)

probably back-formation from bummer entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1878, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

1863, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1863, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1970, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bum

• bum about
• bum around
• bum check
• bum rap
• bum-rush
• bum's rush
• gave him the bum's rush
• get the bum's rush
• given a bum rap
• gotten a bum rap
• on the bum
• the bum's rush

Kids Definition

bum

1 of 5 noun

ˈbəm 

: buttock sense 2a

bum

2 of 5 adjective

1

a

: inferior sense 3, worthless

bum advice

b

: not true or deserved

a bum rap

c

: not enjoyable

a bum trip

2

: unable to work properly : disabled

a bum knee

bum

3 of 5 verb

bummed; bumming

1

: to wander around avoiding work

2

: to obtain by asking or begging

bum a ride

bum

4 of 5 noun

1

: a person who avoids work and tries to live off others

2

: tramp entry 2 sense 1, hobo

bum

5 of 5 verb

informal

: sadden

—usually used with out

the news really bummed me out

Etymology

Noun

Middle English bom

Adjective

perhaps from ⁴bum

Verb

probably from bummer "one who avoids work"

Noun

probably short for bummer "one who avoids work," probably from German Bummler "loafer"

Verb

probably from bummer