It means someone who is physically awkward, especially with the hands. There is a proverb from 1546 - 'when he should get aught, each finger is a thumb'
Tom is all thumbs when it comes to cooking. He tried to fix the motor, but he's all thumbs with tools.
If you're "all thumbs," you are clumsy or awkward - imagine trying to do anything with five thumbs instead of four fingers and one thumb! This idiom usually refers to fine motor tasks. It means to be clumsy
Here are some sentences for this idiom. It means to be clumsy or unable to do something well.He was all thumbs when he tried to bake cookies.I'm all thumbs at sewing, but i can paint pretty well.She tried to learn how to knit, but she was all thumbs.
What's the meaning of the phrase 'All fingers and thumbs'? Clumsy, unable to hold things steadily in one's hands. 'All fingers and thumbs' is how we might describe ourselves during a temporary loss of manual dexterity.
Also, for good and all. Permanently, forever. .
spying or looking someone all the time
The idiom "all thumbs" means someone who is clumsy or awkward with their hands, often prone to making mistakes or dropping things. It suggests a lack of dexterity or skill in performing manual tasks.
It comes from the fact that telephones all used to ring to signal an incoming call.
yes, all and only primates primates have thumbs
The same way all thumbs are fingers but not all fingers are thumbs.
Alice was all thumbs last thursday, it was her fault that half of the plates were broken.
The idiom "talk is cheap" originated in the early 20th century and means that it is easy for someone to say they will do something, but actions speak louder than words. It implies that words alone are not enough to prove a commitment or intention.