Now only Sc. and north. dial. Forms: α. 1 tóm, 3–6 tome, (5 tombe, toyme, 6 towme), 5–7 toome, 5– toom. β. 4 tum, 4–7 tume, 6 twmo, (?) twyme, 9 Sc. tume, tuim. γ. 8–9 teem, 9 dial. teeam. [OE. tóm = ON. tómr (Norw., Da., Sw. tom); also OS. tômi, tômig, OHG. zuomîg:—OTeut. *tôm-oz or *tôm-uz (OS. tômia-); ulterior origin unknown. Hence TEEM v.2]
1. Empty, vacant, containing nothing, void of contents; destitute (of something).
a. 900. Cynewulf, Christ, 1211. Þæt hy mostun man-weorca tome lifʓan.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 17798. And yee sal find þair tumbs tome [Gött. tume]. Ibid., 17815. Þai sagh þaa tumbs, tum war þai.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter cxliii. 16. Ful of riches and tome of goednes.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxiii. 149. When þai see þe toome vessellez, þai ga and fillez þam with gold.
1435. Misyn, Fire of Love, II. iv. 76. Certan of godis lufe þat ar toyme.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 496/2. Toom, or voyde.
c. 1470. Henryson, Mor. Fab., I. (Cock & Jasp) iv. As draf, or corne, to fill my tume Intraill.
1508. Kennedie, Flyting w. Dunbar, 365. Thow has a tome purs.
1560. Rolland, Seven Sages (1837), 1. Of all vertew that Ceitie was maid tome.
1727. P. Walker, R. Cameron, in Biog. Presbyt. (1827), I. 241. There were many toom pulpits in Scotland.
1786. Burns, Earnest Cry & Prayer, vii. Her mutchkin stoup as toom’s a whissle.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., III. vi. The man John Baliol being quite gone, and only the ‘Toom Tabard’ (Empty Gown) remaining.
1855. Robinson, Whitby Gloss., s.v., As toom as an egg-shell.
γ. a. 1774. Fergusson, Hallowfair, Poems (1845), 14. Here, tak a rug, and show your pose Forseeth, my ain’s but teem And light the day.
1861. E. Waugh, Lake Country, 180. He was as helpless as a teeam seck.
2. fig. Empty, insubstantial, vain, void, futile.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1672. Me þuncþ þu ledest ferde tome.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VI. iv. 120. The tume schaddowis smytyn to haue slane.
1568. Satir. Poems Ref., xlvi. 27. Till deif ȝow wt tome clatter.
1721. Ramsay, Prospect of Plenty, 46. O’er lang, with empty brag, we have been vain Of toom dominion on the plenteous main.
1786. G. Frazer, Fall of Man, 157. Blown up with the toom wind of a flattering empty sound.
† b. Idle, unoccupied. Obs.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xlix. 21. Sitand tome [MS. S. ydel], for it likes þe to speke ill.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., xxx. 125. To stand thus tome thou gars me grete.
3. Comb., as toom-handed, -headed, -skinned adjs.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxv. 120. Na man comme in my sight tome hand.
1629. Z. Boyd, Balme of Gilead, 21 (Jam.). A man as we say that hath not harnes, or brain, a toome beaded man.
1768. Ross, Helenore, Introd. 4. Ye’re nae toom handed gin your heart be free.
1824. Mactaggart, Gallovid. Encycl., Toom-skin’d, hungry.
