bum

Everyday

1. (informal, UK/Australia) Your bottom, the part you sit on. tree →
2. (informal, US) A homeless person or someone who will not work; can be unkind. tree →
3. (informal) A person who spends all their time on a hobby (a beach bum, a gym bum). tree →
4. (slang) To bum something: to ask someone for it for free (bum a ride). tree →
5. (slang, US) Bad or poor quality (a bum deal, a bum knee). tree →
6. Bum can also be a deep booming sound, like a cannon or a drum. tree →

In the lessons

In UK and Australian homes «bum» is a mild, childish word for bottom. In US slang it is more often an insult for a lazy or homeless person. Phrases: bum around (do nothing much), bum a lift, a bum deal, beach bum.

Examples

• The baby fell on his bum. tree →
• Sit on your bum and stay still! (UK, informal) tree →
• He spent the summer as a beach bum. tree →
• Can I bum a lift home? (slang) tree →
• That's a bum deal; you paid too much. (US slang) tree →
• I bummed around at home all Saturday. tree →
• Get off your bum and help! tree →
• The whole city was illuminated in the evening, and the cannons went off with a bum! bum! and the soldiers presented arms. tree →

Note

Mild but informal; in the UK not really rude, in the US calling someone a bum is an insult. Not for formal writing: say «bottom» or «buttocks» in science. «Bummed» (US slang) can also mean sad or disappointed.