v. [UN-2 4 b. Cf. Du. ontgommen.] trans. To free from gum or from being gummed; spec. in the preparation of silk.
1598. Florio, Sgommare, to vngum, to vnplaister, to vnglue.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 142. As soon as the whole [of the silk] is completely ungummed, they [sc. the hanks] are taken out.
1901. B. Pain, Another Englishwoman’s Love-Lett., xxv. 111. I kiss the label … until it comes ungummed.
Hence Ungumming vbl. sb.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 142. For the first [method of scouring silk], or the ungumming.
1883. R. Haldane, Workshop Receipts, Ser. II. 39/1. Two operations are necessary [in silk-bleaching], ‘ungumming’ (dégommage) and ‘boiling.’
