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jumper

n. · v.
US //ˈdʒəmpɝ// UK //dʒˈʌmpɐ// jumper
  1. 1 clothing: sweater (n.)
    A2 Elementary British English

    a warm piece of clothing with long sleeves, usually made of wool, that you pull over your head.

    a knitted garment, typically made of wool or cotton, worn over the upper body. In British English, this is the standard term for a sweater or pullover.

    Example

    It was getting cold outside, so she put on a thick blue jumper.

    Example

    The school uniform policy requires students to wear a navy blue jumper over their collared shirts during the winter months.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand where American speakers would say 'sweater'.
  2. 2 clothing: sleeveless dress (n.)
    B1 Intermediate American English

    a dress without sleeves that is usually worn over a shirt or blouse.

    A sleeveless, one-piece dress or a skirt with an attached bodice, typically worn over a blouse or turtleneck.

    Example

    The little girl wore a plaid jumper over a white long-sleeved shirt.

    Example

    For the autumn collection, the designer featured a corduroy jumper paired with a lightweight silk blouse.

    Teacher's tip

    Learners should be aware that this word refers to a dress in the US but a sweater in the UK.
    • pinafore
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  1. 3 someone who jumps (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Sport

    a person or animal that jumps, especially in a sport.

    An athlete or animal participating in a jumping event, such as high jump or long jump.

    Example

    The horse is a natural jumper and easily cleared the high fence.

    Example

    The Olympic jumper spent years perfecting his technique to gain those extra few centimetres in the triple jump final.
  2. 4 basketball shot (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English Informal Sport

    a shot in basketball where the player jumps into the air.

    A jump shot; a basketball shot made while the player is at the highest point of a vertical leap.

    Example

    He took a quick jumper from the corner and scored three points.

    Example

    The guard's ability to hit a contested jumper consistently made him a threat from anywhere on the perimeter.
  3. 5 electrical part (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    a small wire or pin used to connect parts of an electrical circuit.

    A short length of conductor used to close, open, or bypass part of an electronic circuit.

    Example

    You might need to move the jumper on the motherboard to reset the settings.

    Example

    The technician used a jumper to bypass the faulty switch and restore power to the diagnostic panel.
  4. 6 to connect electrically (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Technical

    to connect two electrical points using a small wire.

    To create an electrical bypass or connection between two points using a jumper wire.

    Example

    The engineer had to jumper the two terminals to test the alarm system.

    Example

    By jumpering the connection, the maintenance crew was able to keep the cooling system running while the primary controller was being replaced.
Etymology 1

From jump + -er.

Etymology 2

From the term jump (“short coat”) + -er, originally in sailors' jargon, ultimately of uncertain origin. Jump is possibly from Scottish English jupe (“man's loose jacket or tunic”), from Middle English juype, gype, joupe, from Old French jupe, juppe, from Arabic جُبَّة (jubba); see also jibba. Cognate with Middle Low German jōpe, gōpe (“waistcoat, jacket”), German Joppe (“jacket”). Alternatively, perhaps derived from jump.

Idioms2 entries

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