palm

Meanings

Noun

• Any of various evergreen trees from the family Palmae or Arecaceae, which are mainly found in the tropics.
• A branch or leaf of the palm, anciently borne or worn as a symbol of victory or rejoicing.
• Triumph; victory.
• Any of 23 awards that can be earned after obtaining the Eagle Scout rank, but generally only before turning 18 years old.
• The inner and somewhat concave part of the human hand that extends from the wrist to the bases of the fingers.
• The corresponding part of the forefoot of a lower mammal.
• A linear measure equal either to the breadth of the hand or to its length from the wrist to the ends of the fingers; a hand; used in measuring a horse's height.
• A metallic disk attached to a strap and worn in the palm of the hand; used to push the needle through the canvas, in sewing sails, etc.
• The broad flattened part of an antler, as of a full-grown fallow deer; so called as resembling the palm of the hand with its protruding fingers.
• The flat inner face of an anchor fluke.

Verb

• To hold or conceal something in the palm of the hand, e.g, for an act of sleight of hand or to steal something.
• To hold something without bending the fingers significantly.
• To move something with the palm of the hand.

Origin

• Image:1859-Martinique.web.jpg|thumb|150px|A palm tree ([[Cocos nucifera)]]
• From Middle English palme, from Old English palm, palma, from Latin palma, from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂, *plām-. Cognate with Dutch palm, German Palme, Danish palme, Icelandic pálmur.
• Image:Hand parts.jpg|thumb|150px|A human hand with the palm labelled
• From Middle English palme, paume, from Old French palme, paulme, paume, from Latin palma, from Proto-Indo-European *palam-, *plām-. Cognate with Ancient Greek παλάμη, Old English folm, Old Irish lám.