Definition of gum

• n. - The dense tissues which invest the teeth, and cover the adjacent parts of the jaws.
• v. t. - To deepen and enlarge the spaces between the teeth of (a worn saw). See Gummer.
• n. - A vegetable secretion of many trees or plants that hardens when it exudes, but is soluble in water; as, gum arabic; gum tragacanth; the gum of the cherry tree. Also, with less propriety, exudations that are not soluble in water; as, gum copal and gum sandarac, which are really resins.
• n. - See Gum tree, below.
• n. - A hive made of a section of a hollow gum tree; hence, any roughly made hive; also, a vessel or bin made of a hollow log.
• n. - A rubber overshoe.
• v. t. - To smear with gum; to close with gum; to unite or stiffen by gum or a gumlike substance; to make sticky with a gumlike substance.
• v. i. - To exude or from gum; to become gummy.