Word
bumps
US/ˈbəmps/
UK/bˈʌmps/
Definitions
01raised areas
A2 · Elementary Plural noun
n. small raised parts on a surface that is usually flat.
n. plural noun referring to small protuberances or swellings on an otherwise smooth surface.
“The old road was full of bumps that made the car shake.”
“The dermatologist examined the small red bumps on the patient's arm to determine if they were an allergic reaction or a viral infection.”
02birthday tradition
C1 · Advanced Plural noun British English · Informal
n. a British tradition where friends lift a person up and down on their birthday.
n. a British celebratory ritual, typically for birthdays, involving lifting a person by their limbs and tossing them into the air or bumping them against the ground.
“After we sang 'Happy Birthday', we gave him the bumps.”
“It was a school tradition to give the birthday boy the bumps, though teachers often discouraged the practice for safety reasons.”
Teaching tip
This is a culturally specific British term; learners should be aware it is rarely used or understood in American English.
Idioms
01. royal bumps
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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