palm

Etymology 1

From Middle English palme, from Old English palm, palma (“palm-tree, palm-branch”), from Latin palma (“palm-tree, palm-branch, palm of the hand”), from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂meh₂, *pl̥h₂emeh₂ (“palm of the hand”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- (“flat”). Cognate with Dutch palm, German Palme, Danish palme, Icelandic pálmur (“palm”).

noun

1. Any of various evergreen trees from the family Palmae or Arecaceae, which are mainly found in the tropics.
2. A branch or leaf of the palm, anciently borne or worn as a symbol of victory or rejoicing.
3. (figurative, by extension) Triumph; victory.
4. (scouting) Any of 23 awards that can be earned after obtaining the Eagle Scout rank, but generally only before turning 18 years old.

Etymology 2

From Middle English palme, paume, from Old French palme, paulme, paume (“palm of the hand, ball, tennis”), from Latin palma (“palm of the hand, hand-breadth”), from Proto-Indo-European *pl̥h₂(e)meh₂ (“palm of the hand”), from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- (“flat”). Doublet of palmo, palma, and pam. Cognate with Ancient Greek παλάμη (palámē, “palm of the hand”), Old English folm (“palm of the hand”), Old Irish lám (“hand”).

noun

1. The inner and somewhat concave part of the human hand that extends from the wrist to the bases of the fingers.
   The open palm of desire wants everything. October 28 1990, Paul Simon, “Further to Fly”, in The Rhythm of the Saints, Warner Bros.
2. The corresponding part of the forefoot of a lower mammal.
3. (historical) Synonym of hand, any of various units of length notionally derived from the breadth of the palm, formalized in England as 4 inches and now chiefly used for the height of horses
   He found it to be ninety-five fathoms wide, and five palms deep at a place of average depth 1931, Herbert Eugene Bolton, Outpost of Empire: The Story of the Founding of San Francisco
4. (historical) Any of various units of length notionally derived from the length of the palm from the wrist to the base of the fingers.
5. (sailmaking) A metallic disk attached to a strap and worn in the palm of the hand; used to push the needle through the canvas, in sewing sails, etc.
6. The broad flattened part of an antler, as of a full-grown fallow deer; so called as resembling the palm of the hand with its protruding fingers.
   They watched until the younger bull received a second cut, this one on his flank from a point on the brow palm that would have impaled him if he hadn't jumped out of the way. 1999, Dana Stabenow, Hunter's Moon, page 168
7. (nautical) The flat inner face of an anchor fluke.

verb

1. To hold or conceal something in the palm of the hand, e.g, for an act of sleight of hand or to steal something.
2. To hold something without bending the fingers significantly.
   John palmed the ball.
3. To move something with the palm of the hand.
   The home side's goalkeeper Asmir Begovic managed to palm the drive on to the post but the sheer pace of the shot forced the ball into the net. December 28, 2010, Marc Vesty, “Stoke 0 - 2 Fulham”, in BBC