# pump out

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pump-out
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to remove liquid from a place using a machine. You can also use it when a person or company produces a lot of something very quickly.

For teachers: To remove liquid or gas from a container or area using a pump; figuratively, to produce a large quantity of something rapidly and often mechanically. The verb is transitive and allows for object placement between the verb and particle.

## Examples

- The workers had to pump out the flooded basement after the storm.
- The factory continues to pump out thousands of plastic bottles every single hour to meet the high demand.
- Despite the dwindling resources, the propaganda machine continued to pump out misleading reports to maintain a facade of stability during the crisis.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The factory pumps out of hundreds of cars." but "The factory pumps out hundreds of cars." — the verb is transitive and takes the product as a direct object without the preposition 'of'.

## Usage notes

- often used for liquids, but also common when talking about producing music, books, or products in bulk.
- Teaching tip: highlight the shift from the literal mechanical action to the figurative sense of 'mass production' where quality might be less important than quantity.

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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.