bumps
- 01 A2 Elementary
small raised parts on a surface that is usually flat.
plural noun referring to small protuberances or swellings on an otherwise smooth surface.
Simple“The old road was full of bumps that made the car shake.”
In context“The dermatologist examined the small red bumps on the patient's arm to determine if they were an allergic reaction or a viral infection.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
a British tradition where friends lift a person up and down on their birthday.
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.
Simple“After we sang 'Happy Birthday', we gave him the bumps.”
In context“It was a school tradition to give the birthday boy the bumps, though teachers often discouraged the practice for safety reasons.”
Teacher's tipThis is a culturally specific British term; learners should be aware it is rarely used or understood in American English.