ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bump

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈbəmp// UK //bˈʌmp// bump Archaic Informal Slang

n. a small, hard area on your skin that is raised, often after you hit something. It can also be a small hill or an uneven part on a flat surface.

n. a protuberance on a surface, often resulting from an impact or as a natural irregularity. In digital contexts, it refers to a post intended to move a thread to the top of a forum list.


SIMPLE

I have a small bump on my head from the door.

CONTEXTUAL

The car jolted as it hit a large bump in the middle of the gravel road.

COMPLEX

While the initial impact left only a minor bump, the structural integrity of the fuselage required a thorough inspection to ensure no internal hairline fractures had occurred.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology 1

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.

Etymology 2

From Early Modern English; onomatopoeic.

Usage

Commonly used with the verb 'get' or 'have' when referring to physical injuries.

Idioms5 entries

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