chum

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

chum, n. [Perh. a contraction fr. comrade or chamber fellow: cf. also AS. cuma a comer, guest.].

 A roommate, especially in a college or university; an old and intimate friend.  [1913 Webster]

New chum, a recent immigrant. [Australia]

chum, v. i. 

 To occupy a chamber with another; as, to chum together at college.  [1913 Webster]

chum, n. 

 Chopped pieces of fish used as bait.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

chum, n. & v.
--n. colloq. (esp. among schoolchildren) a close friend.
--v.intr. (often foll. by with) share rooms.

Idiom

chum up (often foll. by with) become a close friend (of).

Derivative

chummy adj. (chummier, chummiest). chummily adv. chumminess n.

chum, n. & v. US
--n.
1 refuse from fish.
2 chopped fish used as bait.
--v.
1 intr. fish using chum.
2 tr. bait (a fishing place) using chum.

Etymology

19th c.: orig. unkn.

THESAURUS

chum

ace, amigo, associate, associate with, assort with, bedfellow, bedmate, bosom buddy, buddy, bunkie, bunkmate, butty, camarade, chamberfellow, chum together, chum with, classmate, clique, clique with, club together, colleague, comate, companion, company, compeer, comrade, confidante, confrere, consociate, consort, consort with, copartner, crony, familiar, fellow, fellow student, fellowship, flock together, fraternize, friend, girl friend, go with, gossip, hang around with, hang out with, herd together, hobnob with, join, join in fellowship, keep company with, mate, messmate, mingle with, mix with, old crony, pal, pal up with, pal with, pard, pardner, partner, playfellow, playmate, roommate, run in couples, run with, running mate, schoolfellow, schoolmate, shipmate, side partner, sidekick, sort with, take up with, team up with, teammate, tie up with, workfellow, yokefellow, yokemate

ROGET THESAURUS

chum

Friend

N friend, friend of one's bosom, alter ego, best friend, bosom friend, soulmate, fast friend, amicus, usque ad aras, fidus Achates, persona grata, acquaintance, neighbor, next-door neighbor, casual acquaintance, nodding acquaintance, wellwisher, favorer, fautor, patron, Mecaenas, tutelary saint, good genius, advocate, partisan, sympathizer, ally, friend in need, comrade, mate, companion, familiar, confrere, comrade, camarade, confidante, intimate, old crony, crony, chum, pal, buddy, bosom buddy, playfellow, playmate, childhood friend, bedfellow, bedmate, chamber fellow, associate, colleague, compeer, schoolmate, schoolfellow, classfellow, classman, classmate, roommate, fellow-man, stable companion, best man, maid of honor, matron of honor, compatriot, fellow countryman, countryman, shopmate, fellow-worker, shipmate, messmate, fellow companion, boon companion, pot companion, copartner, partner, senior partner, junior partner, Arcades ambo Pylades and Orestes Castor and Pollux, Nisus and Euryalus, Damon and Pythias, par nobile fratrum, host, Amphitryon, Boniface, guest, visitor, prot_eg_e, amici probantur rebus adversis, ohne bruder kann man leben nicht ohne Freund, best friend, my well-spring in the wilderness, conocidos muchos amigos pocos, friend more divine than all divinities, vida sin amigo muerte sin testigo.