loom

plural looms

1. A utensil; tool; a weapon; (usually in compound) an article in general.

   heirloom, workloom

2. A frame or machine of wood or other material, in which a weaver forms cloth out of thread; a machine for interweaving yarn or threads into a fabric, as in knitting or lace making.

   January 8, 1751, Samuel Johnson, "The Mischiefs of Total Idleness" in The Rambler Hector, when he sees Andromache overwhelmed with terror, sends her for consolation to the loom and the distaff.

3. The part of an oar which is between the grip or handle and the blade; the shaft.

plural looms

1. datedloon (bird of order Gaviiformes)

present singular third person looms · participle present looming · participle past loomed · past loomed

1. intransitiveTo appear indistinctly, e.g. when seen on the horizon or through the murk.

   The clouds loomed over the mountains.

   1 more example

   […] yonder cloud That rises upward always higher, ⁠And onward drags a labouring breast, ⁠And topples round the dreary west, A looming bastion fringed with fire.

   1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XV”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 24

2. figurativelyintransitiveTo appear in an exaggerated or threatening form; (of a person or thing) to tower; (of an idea) to impressively or intimidatingly occupy the mind; (of an event) to be imminent.

   In the meantime, SWR staff have warned privately that an acute shortage of rolling stock is looming, because the new trains are not ready.

   2021 November 3, Paul Clifton, “Network News: Rolling stock concerns as '701s' "not fit for purpose"”, in RAIL, number 943, page 21

   2 more examples

   With no extra-time to be played and penalties looming, the Portuguese winger pounced on some hesitant City defending to run on to a Wayne Rooney clearance, round Joe Hart and slot home.

   2011 August 7, Chris Bevan, “Man City 2 - 3 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport

   The incident erupted as tensions simmered over Donald Trump’s looming takeover of DC and his administration’s use of force to brutally achieve his anti-migrant agenda.

   2025 August 13, Gabrielle Canon, “Man accused of throwing sandwich at US border agent charged with assault”, in The Guardian

3. figurativelyintransitiveTo rise and to be eminent; to be elevated or ennobled, in a moral sense.

   On no occasion does he [Paul] loom so high, and shine so gloriously, as in the context.

   1822, John M. Mason, The Evangelical Ministry Exemplified in the Apostle Paul

plural looms

1. intransitiveA distorted appearance of something as seen indistinctly or from afar.