Glom
/ɡlɒm/noun
To seize, take, or acquire, often appropriating something without permission; also to attach oneself to something.
Did you know?Unlike many dramatic word origins, glom’s true source remains uncertain; lexicographers connect it tentatively with Scots glaum, meaning “to snatch at” or “handle clumsily.”
Etymological Timeline
18th Century
Scots
glaum
“To snatch at, grasp, or handle clumsily; a possible source of glom.”
Early 19th Century
American English
glom
“To steal, seize, or take possession of something.”
1812
American English
glom
“An American slang verb meaning “to steal” or “appropriate.””
Early 20th Century
American English
glom onto
“To attach oneself to, appropriate, or take advantage of something or someone.”
Modern English
English
glom
“To seize, acquire, or attach oneself to something, often informally.”