green thumb
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit](This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
[edit]green thumb (plural green thumbs)
- (US, idiomatic) A natural skill for gardening.
- Synonym: green fingers
- Wow, did you plant this entire garden on your own? You really must have a green thumb.
- 1987, Lyall Watson, The dreams of dragons: riddles of natural history:
- Everyone knows someone who has a "green thumb," who seems to be able to get plants to grow well just by being around, by talking or even playing music […]
- 2003, Barbara Damrosch, The Garden Primer:
- […] they leave gardening to those who presumably have lots of time to read and better yet, have a "green thumb."
- 2006, Des Kennedy, The Passionate Gardener: Adventures of an Ardent Green Thumb:
- Oh, I'll never have a green thumb, no matter how long I stay at it. Nothing ever seems to work for me. Everything I plant dies.
- (US) A person with this skill.
- I should ask the green thumb next door what she recommends for my droopy daffodils.
Usage notes
[edit]- Chiefly used in the form “have a green thumb”.
- In UK English the corresponding expression is to describe someone as “having green fingers” or “being green-fingered”.
Descendants
[edit]- → Canadian French: pouce vert (calque)
- → German: grüner Daumen (calque)
Translations
[edit]skill
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person
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