rum
nounadjectivenounnouncommon in dialogue
- United States//ɹʌm//
- Scotland//ɾʌm//
- //ɹʊm//
A spirit distilled from various preparations of sugarcane, particularly fermented cane sugar and molasses.
noun
- 1
A spirit distilled from various preparations of sugarcane, particularly fermented cane sugar and molasses.
... 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 ...
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.
— Why is rum gone? — One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels!
The Royal Navy used to issue a rum ration to sailors.
- 2
A spirit distilled from various preparations of sugarcane, particularly fermented cane sugar and molasses. A serving of rum.
Jake tossed down three rums.
- 3
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
A similar spirit distilled from similar preparations of sugarbeets, sorghum, etc.
- 5
obsoleteA strange person or thing.
- 6
obsoleteA country parson.
No company comes / But a rabble of tenants, and rusty dull rums.
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word for "strong, potent" which is (perhaps) the source of ramboozle and rumfustian (however, these drinks were not originally made with rum), * that it derives from rum ("fine, good") or from the last syllable of Latin saccharum (given the harsh taste of earlier rum, this origin is now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)
adjective
- 1
obsoleteFine, excellent, valuable.
having a rum time
- 2
datedStrange, peculiar.
a rum idea; a rum fellow
"Lor, Noah!" said Charlotte, "What a rum creature you are! Why don't you let the boy alone?"
[H]e stared after Pynsent stupidly, and pronounced to the landlord over the counter that he was a rum one.
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.
Etymology
From the earlier form rome (“good”, slang); possibly of Romani origin; compare rom.
noun
- 1
datedAny odd person or thing.
noun
- 1
rareThe card game rummy.
Etymology
Shortening of rummy.
Forms
- plural
- rums
- comparative
- rummer
- superlative
- rummest
rum · A spirit distilled from various preparations of sugarcane, particularly fermented cane sugar and molasses.
Rum · An eyalet in the Ottoman Empire.rumble · A low, heavy, continuous sound, such as that of thunder or a…Rumble · A surname.