lump
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.a piece of something solid that has no particular shape.
n.a small, irregular mass of solid matter with no defined shape.
Simple“He found a large lump of coal in the garden while digging.”
In context“The sculptor began with a shapeless lump of clay, gradually refining the form until a human figure emerged from the raw material.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a hard area or swelling on or under the skin.
n.a protuberance or localized swelling on the body, often indicating injury or infection.
Simple“You should see a doctor if you find a strange lump on your neck.”
In context“The patient reported a small, painless lump in his armpit that had appeared shortly after he recovered from a viral infection.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
n.a small square or piece of sugar for tea or coffee.
n.a small, pre-measured cube or mass of sugar.
Simple“Would you like one lump of sugar or two in your tea?”
In context“The traditional tea service included a silver bowl filled with sugar lumps and a pair of matching tongs.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to put different things into the same group, even if they are not the same.
v.to group or categorize disparate items together, often in a careless or oversimplified manner.
Simple“You shouldn't lump all teenagers together as if they all behave the same way.”
In context“Critics argued that the report unfairly lumped several distinct social issues together, failing to address the unique causes of each problem.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'together'.
Antonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
v.to accept a situation you do not like because you cannot change it.
v.to endure or tolerate an unpleasant situation; almost exclusively used in the idiom 'like it or lump it'.
Simple“The office is moving to the city centre, so we just have to like it or lump it.”
In context“The new regulations are mandatory for all staff members; they will simply have to like it or lump it until the next review cycle.”
- 06 C2 Proficiency
n.a person who is heavy, slow, or lazy.
n.a person perceived as being physically large, clumsy, or mentally dull.
Simple“Get off the sofa, you big lump, and help me with the shopping.”
In context“He was a great, silent lump of a man who rarely spoke but was surprisingly efficient at heavy manual labour.”
Synonymsoafbrute
From Middle English lumpe, from a Germanic base akin to Proto-Germanic *limpaną (“to glide, go, hang loosely”). Compare Dutch lomp (“rag”), German Low German Lump (“rag”), German Lumpen (“rag”) and Lump (“ragamuffin”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.