oakum

Meanings

Plural: oakums

Noun

loose hemp or jute fiber obtained by unravelling old ropes; when impregnated with tar it was used to caulk seams and pack joints in wooden ships
Coarse fibres separated by hackling from flax or hemp when preparing the latter for spinning.
Fibres chiefly obtained by untwisting old rope, which are used to caulk or pack gaps between boards of wooden ships and joints in masonry and plumbing, and sometimes for dressing wounds.

Origin / Etymology

From Late Middle English okom, okome (“oakum”) [and other forms], from Old English ācumba (“oakum”, literally “that which has been combed out, off-combings”) [and other forms], from ācemban (“to comb out”), from Proto-Germanic *uz- (from Proto-Indo-European *ud-s-, *ūd- (“out; up”), or *h₂ew- (“away from, off”)) + *kambijaną (“to comb”) (ultimately from *ǵómbʰos (“row of teeth; tooth; peg”), *ǵembʰ- (“nail; tooth; to gnaw through; to pierce”)). See also out and comb.

Synonyms

hards, tow

Scrabble Score: 11

oakum is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
oakum is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
oakum is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

oakum is a valid Words With Friends word