Yahoo Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   bump

   /bʌmp/

   noun

   • 1. a light blow or a jolting collision: "a nasty bump on the head" Similar joltcollisioncrashsmashsmackcrackthwackbangthudthumpbuffetknockraptapimpactinformal:whackbashwallop
   • ▪ (on a person's birthday) a custom by which the person is lifted by the arms and legs and let down on to the ground, once for each year of their age: informal British "the children were given the bumps"
   • ▪ (in races where boats make a spaced start one behind another) the point at which a boat begins to overtake or touch the boat ahead, thereby defeating it.
   • ▪ a rising air current causing an irregularity in an aircraft's motion.
   • 2. a protuberance on a level surface: "bumps in the road" Similar humpbulgelumpknobknotprojectionprominenceeminenceridgeprotuberanceOpposite pothole
   • ▪ a swelling on the skin, especially one caused by illness or injury: "her mosquito bites had come up in huge red bumps" Similar swellinglumpbulgeinjurycontusionnodulenodeoutgrowthgrowthcarbunclehunchexcrescenceprotuberanceprojectiontechnical:processbullarare:tumescenceintumescencetumefaction
   • ▪ a lump on a person's skull, formerly thought to indicate a particular mental faculty. dated
   • 3. an increase: informal US "there was a bump in the number of outbound flights"
   • 4. (in an online forum) an act of posting on an inactive thread in order to move it to the top of the list of active threads: "I'm giving this thread a well-deserved bump"
   • 5. a loosely woven fleeced cotton fabric used in upholstery and as lining material.

   verb

   • 1. knock or run into someone or something with a jolt: "I almost bumped into him" Similar hitrambang (into)collide withbe in collision withstrikeknock (into)knock againstcrash into/againstsmash intoslam intocrack into/againstdash againstrun intoplough intoimpactOpposite miss
   • ▪ hurt or damage (something) by striking it on something else: "she bumped her head on the sink"
   • ▪ (in a race) gain a bump against.
   • 2. move or travel with a succession of jolting movements: "the car bumped along the rutted track" Similar bouncejoltjerkrattleshakejounce
   • ▪ push (something) jerkily in a specified direction: "she had to bump the pushchair down the steps"
   • 3. (of an airline) refuse (a passenger) a reserved place on a flight as a consequence of deliberate overbooking: "if you check in on time and are bumped, you will be entitled to a full refund"
   • ▪ displace from a job or role, especially in favour of someone else: North American "she was bumped for a youthful model"
   • 4. (in an online forum) post on (an inactive thread) in order to move it to the top of the list of active threads: "if no one responds after 24 hours, you can bump your thread"

   Word Origin mid 16th century (as a verb): imitative, perhaps of Scandinavian origin.

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • B

     3

   • U

     1

   • M

     3

   • P

     3

   Powered by Oxford Dictionaries

   More definitions, origin and scrabble points