# hump

/ˈhəmp/ (US) · /hˈʌmp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hump
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. on an animal

noun · CEFR B1

a large, rounded part on the back of an animal like a camel.

For teachers: a rounded fleshy mass or protuberance on the back of certain mammals, such as a camel or zebu, used for fat storage.

- The camel has a large hump on its back where it stores fat.
- Bactrian camels are easily distinguished from dromedaries by the presence of two humps rather than one.

### 2. on a road

noun · CEFR B1

a small hill or a raised part of a road used to slow down cars.

For teachers: a rounded mound of earth or a raised pavement section designed to reduce vehicle speed in residential areas.

- The driver slowed down as the car went over a speed hump.
- Local residents petitioned the council to install speed humps to discourage motorists from using their narrow street as a shortcut.

### 3. a bad mood

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal

a state of being annoyed or in a bad mood.

For teachers: a fit of depression or sulkiness; a state of annoyance.

- Don't talk to him right now; he's got the hump because his team lost.
- She’s had the hump all afternoon ever since the manager rejected her proposal without providing any constructive feedback.

### 4. to carry something

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to carry something heavy with a lot of effort.

For teachers: to carry or lug a heavy or awkward object, typically over a distance and with significant physical exertion.

- We had to hump all our camping gear up the side of the mountain.
- The infantry were expected to hump fifty-pound packs across the rugged terrain for hours without a break.

### 5. sexual act

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang · Vulgar

to have sex with someone.

For teachers: to engage in sexual intercourse; to thrust the pelvis rhythmically against someone or something.

- The dog was trying to hump the visitor's leg.
- The film was criticized for a scene where the characters hump in a public park, which many viewers found unnecessary.

### 6. to bend

verb · CEFR B2

to curve your back or a surface into a rounded shape.

For teachers: to arch or bend something into a hump-like shape.

- The cat humped its back and hissed when the dog approached.
- The old man humped his shoulders against the wind as he trudged through the snowstorm.

## Examples

- The camel stores fat in the large hump on its back.
- The truck slowed down as it drove over a large hump in the dirt road.
- Geologists identified the unusual hump in the landscape as a drumlin, a hill formed by the movement of ancient glacial ice.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.