[Echoic: cf. THRUM v.3]
1. trans. To play on (a stringed instrument) carelessly or unskilfully; to produce [notes, a tune] etc.) by such playing. Also with out, over.
Ash’s explanation (quot. 1775) is badly expressed, and perh. implies a misunderstanding.
1775. Ash, Suppl., Strum (v. t. a droll word), tuned as a stringed instrument in a clumsy manner.
1784. New Spectator, No. xviii. 1. She has received what is called a genteel education, that is, she can strum a tune on a guitar. [etc.].
1802. Mrs. Radcliffe, Gaston de Blondeville, Posth. Wks. (1826), I. 86. Her mynstrells of music … began to blow upon their pipes, and to strum their stringed instruments with most sweet noise.
1845. Ford, Handbk. Spain, I. 30. In due time songs are sung, a guitar is strummed.
1850. Thackeray, Pendennis, iv. Laura … had been strumming her music lessons for hours before.
1894. Hall Caine, Manxman, ii. 53. He was sitting at the piano strumming a music-hall ditty.
1896. A. Morrison, Adv. Martin Hewitt, Ser. III. 10. I turned to my little pianette and strummed over the notes, making my own time. Ibid., 28. He had got musicians to strum out the notes on all sorts of instruments.
1906. Temple Bar, Jan., 76. The mate … sits on the booby hatch, and strums his banjo to the stars.
2. intr. To play carelessly or unskilfully on a stringed instrument. Also with away, on. Said also of an instrument: To sound when strummed upon.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulgar T., Strum,… to play badly on the harpsichord, or any other stringed instrument.
c. 1793. Burns, Monody on Lady, 18. Here Vanity strums on her idiot lyre.
1840. Lady C. Bury, Hist. of Flirt, xii. Thelwal would strum away on the guitar.
1849. Lytton, K. Arthur, VIII. lxxv. Fifes, viols, trumpets braying, screaming, strumming, Flatter his ears, and compliment his coming.
1875. Browning, Aristoph. Apol., 186. You have been fouling that redoubtable Harp-player, twenty years, with what effect? Still he strums on, strums ever cheerily.
1914. J. L. Paton, J. B. Paton, xii. 202. Physical exercises … went with more go when the teacher … strummed on the piano by way of accompaniment.
3. quasi-trans. with adverbial extension.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scandal, II. i. Plays (1902), 160. To … be stuck down to an old Spinet to strum your father to sleep after a Fox Chase.
1787. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Ode upon Ode (ed. 7), 41. [He] to his tent majestic strode to strum, And scrape his anger out on tweedle-dum.
1847. Anne Brontë, Agnes Grey, vii. The short half-hour of practising was horribly strummed through.
Hence Strummed ppl. a.
1881. H. James, Portr. Lady, xxi. Your conscience … will get out of tune, like a strummed piano.
