What does "thimble" mean?
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.
Thimble
/ˈθɪmb(ə)l/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: 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.
- Grammar: thimble is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: finger guard, fingertip protector, needle cap, thimbleful.
- Useful contrasts: unprotected finger.
- Usage evidence: A thimble can be very useful for sewing, if you don't want bleeding fingers.
How to use "thimble"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "thimble" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "thimble" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "thimble" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "thimble" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "thimble" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "finger guard" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "thimble", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
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.
"She had worn a hole through her silver thimble, and wanted Owen to repair it."
- 2 a small metal cap to protect the finger while sewing; can be used as a small container wordnet
- 3 As much as fills a thimble (sense 1); a thimbleful.
- 4 as much as a thimble will hold wordnet
- 5 An object which resembles a thimble (sense 1) in shape or size.; A thimble or similar object used in thimblerig (“a game of skill which requires the bettor to guess under which of three thimbles or small cups a pea-sized object has been placed after the person operating the game rapidly rearranges them”). also, attributive
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 An object which resembles a thimble (sense 1) in shape or size.; A socket in machinery shaped like a thimble. also, attributive
- 7 A metal ring which a cable or rope intended for attaching to other things is looped around as a protection against chafing.
"To relieve the stern in a measure from the great weight of the [diving-]bell, a short, strong mast was stepped in the usual place, and steeving forward; from its head to the head of the davit was a span, which set up with two thimbles [footnote: A sort of iron ring.] and a lanyard, and the whole was supported by a strong stay from the mast-head to the stern of the boat, and two shrouds on a side, leading forward."
- 8 A ring- or tube-shaped component such as a ferrule.
Verb
- 1 To use a thimble (noun sense 1). intransitive
- 2 To sew. broadly, intransitive
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
unprotected finger
Example
"A thimble can be very useful for sewing, if you don't want bleeding fingers."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "thimble"?
Common synonyms include: finger guard, fingertip protector, needle cap, thimbleful, thimbu.
How do you use "thimble" in a sentence?
A thimble can be very useful for sewing, if you don't want bleeding fingers.
How do you pronounce "thimble"?
Pronounced /ˈθɪmb(ə)l/.
Etymology
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.