Thumbing

The act of using one's thumb for various purposes, including signaling for a ride (hitchhiking), manipulating a touch screen or small object, and checking or verifying something. It can encompass diverse actions such as flipping through pages, making a hand gesture, or playing a game. It's often associated with casual actions performed without dedicated focus, and can imply a light or brief interaction.

Thumbing meaning with examples

• Lost and without transportation, she started thumbing on the side of the road, hoping to catch a ride to the nearest town. The sun was setting fast and it got much harder to see cars approaching on the highway, but she stood firm to reach home. Her perseverance finally paid off.
• He spent the morning thumbing through the old photo album, reminiscing about his childhood. As he did he smiled at the old prints, the grainy black and white images transported him back in time. He enjoyed the moment.
• After struggling to solve the puzzle, she started thumbing at the instruction book, trying to find a helpful clue. Finding nothing she asked her friend. They soon worked it out together.
• He passed the time on the bus thumbing at his phone, playing simple mobile games. As he played he forgot all of his woes, and was able to enjoy his day.
• The librarian was thumbing through the card catalog, looking for a particular reference book when it disappeared from the shelf. She couldn't believe it, it was never lost.