1. Ineffectual chewing (as if without teeth)
   "The elderly patient's gumming of the food concerned the nurse";
   - mumbling

1. Exude or form gum
   "these trees gum in the spring"
    
2. Cover, fill, fix or smear with or as if with gum
   "if you gum the tape it is stronger"
    
3. Grind with the gums; chew without teeth and with great difficulty
   "the old man had no teeth left and gummed his food";
   - mumble
    
4. Become sticky
   "The old tape gummed up and wouldn't play"

Derived forms: gummings

Type of: apply, change, chew, chewing, exudate, exude, manducate [archaic], manduction, masticate, mastication, ooze, ooze out, put on, transude

Encyclopedia: Gumming