Word Frequency
bump (bʌmp
)
Definitions
verb
- when intr, usually foll by against or into to knock or strike with a jolt
- intr often foll by along to travel or proceed in jerks and jolts
- tr to hurt by knocking ⇒
he bumped his head on the ceiling
- tr to knock out of place; dislodge ⇒
the crash bumped him from his chair
- tr (British) to throw (a child) into the air, one other child holding each limb, and let him down again to touch the ground
- (in rowing races, esp at Oxford and Cambridge) to catch up with and touch (another boat that started a fixed distance ahead)
- (cricket) to bowl (a ball) so that it bounces high on pitching or (of a ball) to bounce high when bowled
- intr (mainly US & Canadian) to dance erotically by thrusting the pelvis forward (esp in the phrase bump and grind)
- tr (poker) to raise (someone)
- tr (informal) to exclude a ticket-holding passenger from a flight as a result of overbooking
- tr (informal) to displace (someone or something) from a previously allocated position ⇒
the story was bumped from the front page
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See bump uglies
noun
- an impact; knock; jolt; collision
- a dull thud or other noise from an impact or collision
- the shock of a blow or collision
- a lump on the body caused by a blow
- a protuberance, as on a road surface
- any of the natural protuberances of the human skull, said by phrenologists to indicate underlying faculties and character
- a rising current of air that gives an aircraft a severe upward jolt
- plural the act of bumping a child. See sense 5
- (rowing) the act of bumping See bumping race
-
See bump ball
Word Origin
C16: probably of imitative originExample Sentences Including 'bumps'
A few of the boys in school were taken to have their bumps read.Goodbye Curate
Annette and I kissed all the way back to Bristol Gardens, breaking off only for the speed bumps.THE CALLIGRAPHER (2003)
But there's no turning back, and maybe somebody smarter than all of us can figure out some way to smooth out the bumps.Edmonton Sun (2003)
For spring-summer 1997, she gave her clothes growths and lumps and bumps that made the wearer look deformed.Independent (1998)
The brain's surface would therefore be expected to be bumpy, with the strongest character traits represented by the bumps.Science, Technology, and Social Change
The dog is trained instead to avoid obstacles and stop the owner getting bumps and bruises.New Scientist (1998)
The roads are so deserted we never even have genteel bumps.TICKLED PINK (2002)
The street is also pretty safe as it's a cul-de-sac with lots of speed bumps.Glasgow Herald (2001)
The task of slowing the American advance on Baghdad was left to second-string troops and guerrillas - speed bumps , nothing more.Edmonton Sun (2003)
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