loom

SayLOOM/lum/UK/luːm/

Verblooms, looming, loomed

Noun plurallooms

8 meanings of loom

Practice

1
verbfigurativelyintransitive
To seem large, frightening, or dangerously close, often in someone's mind.
Like a big shadow that seems to grow as it comes closer.
Dark clouds loom over the valley before every storm.
The deadline loomed, and nobody felt ready for it.
Similartower, hover, threaten, dominate, overshadow
Note
2
nouncountable
A machine or frame used to make cloth by weaving threads together.
Like a giant frame of needle and thread that turns string into cloth.
She sat at the loom and wove a colorful blanket.
The old wooden loom in the museum still works.
Note
3
verbintransitive
To appear faintly or unclearly, as through fog or far away.
Like seeing a blurry shape far off that you cannot make out yet.
A ship began to loom through the thick fog.
Strange shapes loomed in the dark as our eyes adjusted.
Similaremerge, appear, materialize, surface
Oppositevanish, disappear, fade, recede
Note
4
nounintransitivecountable
The unclear, changed shape of something seen far away or through fog.
Like the fuzzy outline of something you can barely see in the dark.
The loom of the distant hills made them seem to float.
Through the haze, the city was just a gray loom on the skyline.
Similaroutline, silhouette, shape, shadow
5
nouncountable
The middle part of an oar, between the handle and the wide, flat blade.
Like the middle of a long spoon, between the part you hold and the wide end.
He gripped the oar by the loom and pulled hard.
The loom of the oar rubbed against the side of the boat.
Similarshaft
6
verbfigurativelyintransitive
To rise high in worth or honor, becoming morally great.
A truly noble heart will loom above petty quarrels.
After she gave back the lost money, she loomed tall in the eyes of her town.
Similartower, rise
Note
7
nouncountable
A tool, utensil, or weapon, or any object used for some purpose.
Like calling any handy object a 'tool,' whatever its real use.
The farmer kept every loom and blade locked in the shed.
He carried his fishing loom down to the shore at dawn.
Similartool, implement, utensil
Note

Less common meaning

8
noundatedcountable
A diving water bird of northern lakes, also called a loon.
Similarloon, diver
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of loom apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 2, 5, 7

It comes from Old English words meaning a tool or household item. Its deeper origin is uncertain, but it may have first meant 'a thing used often'.

Meaning 8

This is a Shetland dialect word for a diving bird, coming from Old Norse lómr.

Meanings 1, 3–4, 6

The origin is uncertain. It may come from Old Norse ljóma meaning 'to shine'.