Webster's English Dictionary

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palm

1. palm \'pa:m, 'pa:lm\ \pal-'ma--sh*s, pa:(l)-'ma--\ \'pa:(l)m-.li-k\ n 
   [in sense 1, fr. ME, fr. OE; akin to OHG palma palm tree; both fr. a preh] 
   [L palmus, fr. palma]istoric NGmc-WGmc word borrowed fr. L palma palm of 
   the hand, palm tree; fr. the resemblance of the tree's leaves to an 
   outstretched hand; in other senses, fr. ME paume, fr. MF, fr. L palma; akin 
   to OE flo-r floor 1a: any of a family (Palmae, the palm family) of mostly 
   tropical or subtrop ical monocotyledonous trees, shrubs, or vines with usu. 
   a simple stem and terminal crown of large pinnate or fan-shaped leaves 1b1: 
   a leaf of the palm as a symbol of victory or rejoicing  1b2: a branch (as 
   of laurel) similarly used  1c: a symbol of triumph; also : VICTORY, TRIUMPH 
    1d: an addition to a military decoration in the form of a palm frond esp. 
   t o indicate a second award of the basic decoration 2: the somewhat concave 
   part of the human hand between the bases of the fin gers and the wrist or 
   the corresponding part of the forefoot of a lower mammal 3: a flat expanded 
   part esp. at the end of a base or stalk : as  3a: the blade of an oar or 
   paddle  3b1: the flat inner face of an anchor fluke  3b2: FLUKE  4: a unit 
   of length based on the breadth or length of the hand  5: something (as a 
   part of a glove) that covers the palm of the hand  - pal.ma.ceous aj
2. palm \'pa:m, 'pa:lm\ vt 1: to touch with the palm  2a: to conceal in or 
   with the hand  2b: to pick up stealthily  3: to impose by fraud {trash ~ed 
   on the unwary}