The AI-powered English dictionary
countable and uncountable, plural rums
(uncountable) A distilled spirit derived from fermented cane sugar and molasses.
(countable) A serving of rum. examples
(countable) A kind or brand of rum. examples
(obsolete, slang) A strange person or thing.
(obsolete, slang) A country parson. quotations
No company comes / But a rabble of tenants, and rusty dull rums.
1729, Jonathan Swift, The Grand Question Debated of Hamilton's Bawn
comparative rummer, superlative rummest
(obsolete) Fine, excellent, valuable.
(UK, informal, dated) Strange, peculiar. quotations examples
"Lor, Noah!" said Charlotte, "What a rum creature you are! Why don't you let the boy alone?"
1837-9, Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist
[H]e stared after Pynsent stupidly, and pronounced to the landlord over the counter that he was a rum one.
1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 27, in The History of Pendennis. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850
"Can't you see him?""Well, I almost thought I did—for a moment. It's such a rum light."
1951, C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian
"She's as 'appy as Larry, but she'll neither move nor eat. It's a rum 'un, isn't it?" It was very rum indeed.
1976, James Herriot, All Things Wise and Wonderful, page 346
plural rums
(Britain, colloquial, dated) Any odd person or thing. examples
(rare) The card game rummy.