What does toom mean?
Toom is chiefly a Scots term meaning available space or room, especially the space in which people can move, sit, or place something. In modern Scottish English it often appears in expressions such as “plenty of toom” and sounds warm and conversational rather than technical. Toom can also be an adjective meaning empty or unoccupied, as in “a toom box.” The word is regional: speakers of Standard English generally use space, room, or empty instead, although comparable forms survive in other Germanic languages. Its roots are northern and old: Scots toom developed from Middle English tom, ultimately from Old English tōm, “empty.” The noun meaning “space” reflects the idea of room or vacancy, while the adjective retains the older sense of emptiness. Although limited outside Scotland and northern English, toom is useful precisely because it compresses both ideas—available room and emptiness—into a vivid, distinctly Scots expression.
Space or room available for a person, object, or activity.
"Is there toom for all the chairs?"
The noun is normally used without a plural in its sense of available space.
Empty or unoccupied.
"The room was toom after the furniture had been moved."
This adjective use is especially associated with Scottish English.
The common noun meaning space or room normally has no plural, though a plural is occasionally used for separate rooms or spaces.
"We need more toom to store the equipment."
Toom packs no bag: in Scots it means the space you have to spare.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does toom come from?
Toom is a Scots development of Middle English tom, “empty,” which came from Old English tōm, “empty.” The noun sense “room, space” is especially characteristic of Scots and northern English and refers to vacant or available space. The word has relatives in northern Germanic, including Icelandic tómr and Norwegian tom, reflecting a common Germanic origin.
How toom is actually used
Toom is normal regional vocabulary in Scottish English and is also found in parts of northern England. In Standard British and American English, space, room, and empty are the usual equivalents.
Easily confused with toom
Toom means space or emptiness, whereas a tomb is a structure or place for burial.