thimble

Meaning

Noun

1. A pitted, now usually metal, cup-shaped cap worn on the tip of a finger, which is used in sewing to push the needle through material.
2. As much as fills a thimble (sense 1); a thimbleful.
3. (also, attributive) An object which resembles a thimble (sense 1) in shape or size.
4. (also, attributive) An object which resembles a thimble (sense 1) in shape or size.
5. A metal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing.
6. A ring- or tube-shaped component such as a ferrule.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To use a thimble (noun sense 1).
2. (broadly, intransitive) To sew.

Synonyms

thimbleful

hanger

ring

💍

socket

fingerstall

Translations

Fingerhut

vingerhoed

ditale

dedal

dé à coudre

δαχτυλίθρα

dedal

didal

yüksük

δακτυλήθρα

vingerhoedje

doigt de gant

dedal

guzvan

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈθɪmb(ə)l/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: thymbyll

Inherited from Old English: þȳmel

Inherited from Old English: þūma

Cognate with Dutch: duimeling

Cognate with German: Däumling

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: Düümelke

Cognate with Scots: thummle

In summary

The noun is derived from Middle English thymbyll, thimel (“thimble”) [and other forms], from Old English þȳmel (“thimble, thumbstall; fingerstall”), then either:
* from Old English þūma (“thumb”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *tewh₂- (“to swell”)) + -el (suffix forming agent nouns and the names of instruments); or
* from Proto-Germanic *þūmilaz (“thumb-covering, thumb-sheath”), from *þūmô (“thumb”) (ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root mentioned above) + *-ilaz (suffix forming agent nouns).
The English word is analysable as thumb + -le (suffix forming agent nouns), and is cognate with Dutch duimeling (“thumbstall”), German Däumling (“thumbstall”), German Low German Dümelke (“thumbstall”), Saterland Frisian Düümelke (“thumbstall”), Scots thummle, thumble (“thimble”).
The verb is derived from the noun.