I have asked question
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqLudQH8dxxF92PDAzhoH0Hsy6IX?qid=20061212142844AAJZf0f
many people said it word. But I am from another country and I don't know meaning. Can it be
1) A tramp; a vagrant.
2) A lazy or shiftless person, especially one who seeks to live solely by the support of others.?
2006-12-15 07:41:52 · 18 answers · asked by Lisa 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
well, i thought 1) homeless
2) lazy person.
2006-12-15 07:53:00 · update #1
It's the second one.
I know. I use it all the time.
2006-12-15 07:44:28 · answer #1 · answered by NothingMuch 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
2
2006-12-15 15:48:26 · answer #2 · answered by ^-^ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a bum is indeed a vagrant. These people are bummed in disgrace and often find themselves bumming money from where ever they find it.
Bum is more of a slang term that ended up in the dictionary.
as a noun
yes it means a vagrant
yes it means a shiftless person, lazy and unable to suporrt themselves
Ex: A bum walks into this store and never really buys anything.
as a verb
it means to borrow money without any intention to pay it back
Ex: I bummed a dollar from my friend, so I can buy that drink now.
as an adjective
to describe an object as being bad or useless
Ex: I have a bum knee, it always hurts in the cold of winter.
2006-12-15 15:50:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A "bum" is an American slang term which basically means a tramp, vagrant or lazy person. A low-life or beggar.
The meaning in the UK is usually quite different - in the UK "bum" means a person's backside, their bottom or behind.
There is also the term "bummer" as in "that's a real bummer" - it means something that is bad, that brings you down or upsets you eg "What a bummer, I just lost all my money betting on a horse"
2006-12-15 15:44:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
People in American can ask a question like, "can I bum a cigarette off of you?" and that means that they don't have any and want one. Bum is generally a term for #2 (lazy or shiftless people). It is known though that if someone asks you that typical question that they're not a bum unless they ask to have a cigarette every time they see you.
2006-12-15 15:48:04 · answer #5 · answered by A Blonde Belle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are both possible. I think that most people think that homeless people are lazy and shiftless, so they use this word for homeless people, or any lazy, shiftless person. And it is a "cute" term for someone's backside in American English as well.
2006-12-15 16:12:01 · answer #6 · answered by drshorty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A "bum" is someone that doesn't work & lives off of family & friends. The #2 answer is what a bum is. Or the word can be used like, "Can I bum a cigarette?" Something like that. It means basically can I have a cigarette without having to pay you back.
2006-12-15 15:46:09 · answer #7 · answered by Jaysangl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a lazy or shiftless person, especially one who seeks to live soley by the supportof others
2006-12-15 15:45:17 · answer #8 · answered by SEXY TRISH 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It all depends what part of the world you're from.
We don't call vagrants 'Bums' in the UK, they are referred to as 'Tramps'.
2006-12-15 15:49:51 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They mean like a poor homeless man living on the streets who does shower, shave, or have any sense of personal hygene.
2006-12-15 15:45:27 · answer #10 · answered by xxkittenluvxx143 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep, he means that the guy looks like a bum, as in homeless or poor, or like you said, lazy.
2006-12-15 15:50:18 · answer #11 · answered by CherryPie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋