Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

over the transom

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.44 in modern English

Syllables
over the -tran-som
IPA
22
Scrabble Score
14
Letters
3
Syllables
10
Unique Chars

Meaning

prep_phrase

Of a work submitted for publication, unsolicited.

prep_phrase

Meeting a deadline by delivery after the day of the deadline but before opening of business the following business day.

Example Sentences

Etymology

A transom is a lintel or crosspiece over a door; likely an alteration of Latin trānstrum (“crossbeam”). Refers to the idea of a writer tossing a manuscript through the open window over the door of the publisher's office. Alternatively, a "transom" is the nautical term for the back of a small boat. Something which "came in over the transom" would have suddenly (and presumably, surprisingly) entered through the "back door" of the craft, metaphorically.

Questions

What does over the transom mean?
Of a work submitted for publication, unsolicited.
Where does over the transom come from?
A transom is a lintel or crosspiece over a door; likely an alteration of Latin trānstrum (“crossbeam”). Refers to the idea of a writer tossing a manuscript through the open window over the door of the publisher's office. Alternatively, a "transom" is the nautical term for the back of a small boat. Something which "came in over the transom" would have suddenly (and presumably, surprisingly) entered through the "back door" of the craft, metaphorically.

How to pronounce over the transom

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “over the transom”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “over the transom”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “over the transom” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.