the dense tissues which invest the teeth, and cover the adjacent parts of the jaws.-to deepen and enlarge the spaces between the teeth of (a worn saw). see gummer.-a vegetable secretion of many trees or plants that hardens when it exudes, but is soluble in water; as, gum arabic; gum tragacanth; the gum of the cherry tree. also, with less propriety, exudations that are not soluble in water; as, gum copal and gum sandarac, which are really resins.-see gum tree, below.-a hive made of a section of a hollow gum tree; hence, any roughly made hive; also, a vessel or bin made of a hollow log.-a rubber overshoe.-to smear with gum; to close with gum; to unite or stiffen by gum or a gumlike substance; to make sticky with a gumlike substance.-to exude or from gum; to become gummy.