# stump

/ˈstəmp/ (US) · /stˈʌmp/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. to confuse

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to ask someone a question that they cannot answer because it is too difficult.

For teachers: to baffle or pose a challenge that an individual is unable to resolve. Often used in the passive voice.

- The last question on the math exam completely stumped me.
- Even the most experienced engineers were stumped by the intermittent power failure in the backup systems.

### 2. to campaign

verb · CEFR C1 · American English

to travel around an area making speeches to get people to vote for you.

For teachers: to tour a region making political speeches during an election cycle. Transitive when referring to the area covered.

- The candidate is stumping across the state to win over rural voters.
- The senator spent the final weeks of October stumping through the industrial heartland to shore up support among union members.

### 3. to walk heavily

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to walk with heavy, noisy steps.

For teachers: to walk with a heavy, stiff, or clumsy gait, often suggesting frustration or physical effort.

- He stumped up the wooden stairs in his heavy boots.
- Frustrated by the delay, the manager stumped out of the meeting room without saying another word.

### 4. tree base

noun · CEFR B1

the short part of a tree that stays in the ground after the top is cut off.

For teachers: the basal portion of a tree or plant left protruding from the ground after the trunk has been severed.

- We sat on an old tree stump to eat our lunch in the woods.
- The field was dotted with blackened stumps where the ancient forest had been cleared for grazing land.

### 5. cricket posts

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

one of the three wooden sticks that a player stands in front of in cricket.

For teachers: one of the three vertical posts which, together with the bails, form the wicket.

- The ball hit the stumps and the crowd cheered.
- The bowler delivered a perfect yorker that sent the middle stump flying out of the ground.

## Examples

- That difficult math question really stumped me.
- Even the most experienced mechanics were stumped by the strange noise coming from the engine.
- The investigators were completely stumped by the lack of physical evidence at the scene, leading them to reconsider their initial theory of the crime.

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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.