loom

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To appear large, close, and often threatening or worrying.

   Final exams loomed over the students as the week went on.

2. 2
   verb

   To come into view as a large, unclear shape, especially in the dark or fog.

   A huge ship loomed out of the mist ahead of us.

3. 3
   noun

   A machine used to weave thread into cloth.

   The weaver worked at her loom from dawn until dusk.

From Middle English lome, from Old English *lōma, ġelōma (“tool, utensil, implement, article of furniture, household effect”) (also as andlōma, andġelōma, andlama (“utensil, instrument, implement, tool, vessel”), from Proto-West Germanic *lōmō, *lamō (“tool, utensil”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Dutch alaam, allaam (“tool, household ware or good, appliance”), from Middle Dutch andlame. Perhaps originally meaning "a thing of frequent use, thing repeatedly needed", in which case, akin to Old English ġelōme (“often, frequently, continually, repeatedly”), from Proto-Germanic *ga- + *lōmiz,…

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