bum1

 
Pronunciation: /bʌm/
informal

noun

North American
  • 1a vagrant: bums had been known to wander up to their door and ask for a sandwich
  • a lazy or worthless person: you ungrateful bum!
  • 2 [in combination] a person who devotes a great deal of time to a specified activity: a ski bum

verb (bums, bumming, bummed)

  • 1 [no object] (usually bum around) travel with no particular purpose: he bummed around Florida for a few months
  • pass one’s time idly: students bumming around at university
  • 2 [with object] get by asking or begging: they tried to bum quarters off us
  • 3 [with object] (usually be bummed out) North American make (someone) feel upset or disappointed: everybody was totally bummed out because I wasn’t there (as adjective bummed-out) Johnny is a rebel—a busted, bummed-out rebel

adjective

[attributive]
  • of poor quality; bad or wrong: not one bum note was played

Phrases

give someone (or get) the bum's rush

chiefly North American
forcibly eject someone (or be forcibly ejected) from a place or gathering: the bouncer gave me the bum’s rush
abruptly dismiss someone (or be abruptly dismissed) for a poor idea or performance: the President-elect is getting the bum’s rush over the economy

on the bum

North American travelling rough and with no fixed home; vagrant: he continued to travel the country on the bum

Origin:

mid 19th century: probably from bummer