gum
n : the tissue that surrounds the necks of teeth and covers the alveolar parts of the jaws : broadly : the alveolar portion of a jaw with its enveloping soft tissues , vt, gummed gum*ming : to chew with the gums n 1 : any of numerous colloidal polysaccharide substances of plant origin that are gelatinous when moist but harden on drying and are salts of complex organic acids - compare MUCILAGE 2 : any of various plant exudates (as a mucilage, oleoresin, or gum resin) .
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