bum

noun
UK: /bʌm/
US: /bʌm/

  1. A person who avoids work and lives by asking other people for money or food.

    1. He's just a bum who sleeps on the streets. [ ] [ ]
    2. After losing his job, he became a beach bum, surfing all day and sleeping in his car. [ ] [ ]

  2. The part of the body that you sit on.

    1. The baby fell on her bum. [ ] [ ]
    2. My bum is sore after sitting on this hard chair for so long. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

tramp loafer bottom
bum verb

  1. To get something by asking people for it rather than by working or paying for it.

    1. Can I bum a cigarette? [ ] [ ]
    2. He's always trying to bum money off me, it's so annoying. [ ] [ ]

  2. To travel around without a fixed plan or destination.

    1. We decided to bum around Europe for a month. [ ] [ ]
    2. After college, she just wanted to bum around and see the world. [ ] [ ]
bum adjective

  1. Of bad quality; not working.

    1. That's a bum deal. [ ] [ ]
    2. I have a bum knee so I can't play sports. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "bum" in English means: A person who avoids work and lives by asking other people for money or food., The part of the body that you sit on..

The phonetic transcription of "bum" is /bʌm/ in British English and /bʌm/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "bum": tramp, loafer, bottom.

Example usage of "bum": "He's just a bum who sleeps on the streets.". More examples on the page.