From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Oakum \Oak"um\ ([=o]k"[u^]m), noun [AS. [=a]cumba; pref. [=a]- (cf. G. er-, Goth. us-, orig. meaning, out) + cemban to comb, camb comb. See {Comb}.]
1. The material obtained by untwisting and picking into loose fiber old hemp ropes; -- used for calking the seams of ships, stopping leaks, etc.
2. The coarse portion separated from flax or hemp in nackling. --Knight.
{White oakum}, that made from untarred rope.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
noun
1: loose hemp or jute fiber obtained by unravelling old ropes; when impregnated with tar it was used to caulk seams and pack joints in wooden ships
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