noun
loom
loom
noun
1
A machine used for weaving thread or yarn into cloth.
"The weaver worked the loom late into the evening."
"Museum visitors watched a demonstration on a traditional wooden loom."
verb
1
To appear as a large, unclear, or threatening shape, especially in the distance.
"A dark shape loomed out of the fog."
"The deadline loomed over the whole team."
How to Use Loom
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the weaving machine, or the sense of something big or worrying seeming to hang over you.
Common pairings
loom large
loom over
loom in the distance
Word Forms
loomed past tense, looms plural, looms plural, looms plural, looms singular
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Etymology
From Old English gelōma, "tool" or "utensil" — the weaving-machine sense developed later, and the "appear threateningly" sense of the verb grew from the idea of something bulky slowly coming into view.