bump
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to hit something or someone by accident while you are moving.
v.to strike or collide with something, typically with a light or jolting impact.
Simple“I accidentally bumped into the table and spilled my coffee.”
In context“The cyclist bumped into the curb, losing his balance and narrowly avoiding a collision with a parked car.”
PitfallI bumped with the wall. I bumped into the wall.Use the preposition 'into' after 'bump' when you hit an object or person.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to remove someone from a flight or a seat because it is overbooked.
v.to displace a passenger or participant from a scheduled service, usually due to overbooking or seniority protocols.
Simple“The airline bumped us to a later flight because the plane was full.”
In context“Several passengers were bumped from the overbooked flight, though the airline offered significant travel vouchers as compensation.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to move something to a higher level or a later time.
v.to increase a quantity or shift a scheduled event to a different position.
Simple“They decided to bump the meeting up to 9:00 AM.”
In context“The marketing team managed to bump the sales figures by ten percent after the social media campaign went viral.”
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to post a comment on a website just to move the topic to the top of the list.
v.to post a brief response in an online thread to ensure it remains visible at the top of the forum index.
Simple“I'll bump this thread so more people can see your question.”
In context“Users are discouraged from bumping old threads unless they have significant new information to contribute to the discussion.”
- 05 B1 Intermediate
n.a small raised part on a flat surface.
n.a protuberance or unevenness on an otherwise level surface.
Simple“The car jolted when it went over a bump in the road.”
In context“The old wooden floor was full of small bumps and imperfections that made it difficult to slide the furniture into place.”
- 06 B1 Intermediate
n.a small, hard area on your skin, often from a minor injury.
n.a localized swelling on the body, typically resulting from a minor blow or an insect bite.
Simple“He got a big bump on his head after hitting the shelf.”
In context“The child developed a small red bump on her arm, which the doctor identified as a harmless reaction to a mosquito bite.”
- 07 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the rounded stomach of a pregnant woman.
n.the visible protrusion of the abdomen during pregnancy.
Simple“She wore a loose dress to hide her growing baby bump.”
In context“The actress proudly displayed her pregnancy bump on the red carpet, ending months of media speculation.”
Synonymsbaby bump - 08 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a small problem that slows you down but does not stop you.
n.a minor setback or obstacle that temporarily hinders progress.
Simple“We hit a few bumps in the project, but we finished on time.”
In context“Despite a few initial bumps in the merger process, both companies are now operating as a single, cohesive unit.”
- 09 C1 Advanced
n.a small amount of a drug that someone breathes in through their nose.
n.a small quantity of a powdered illicit substance intended for insufflation.
Simple“The police found evidence that people were taking bumps in the bathroom.”
In context“The witness claimed to have seen the defendant sharing a bump of cocaine in the back of the nightclub.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is highly informal and associated with illegal activity; use with extreme caution.
From Early Modern English bump (“a shock, blow from a collision”), probably of North Germanic origin; compare Danish bump (“a thump”), Danish bumpe (“to thump”), Old Danish bumpe (“to strike with a clenched fist”), all probably of imitative origin. Apparently related to Middle English bumben, bummen (“to make a hollow noise”), Dutch bommen (“to hum, buzz”), German Low German bumsen (“to bump, push”), German bummen (“to hum, buzz”), Icelandic bumba (“drum”). More at bum, bumble. Compare also bomb.
From Early Modern English; onomatopoeic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.