Phrasal verb
thump around
Definition
phrasal verb. to move from place to place while making loud, heavy hitting sounds with your feet or body.
phrasal verb. to move about a space while producing heavy, dull, rhythmic thudding sounds, typically through heavy footsteps or the handling of bulky objects. The verb is intransitive and emphasizes the auditory quality of the movement.
Examples
“The neighbors' kids always thump around upstairs late at night.”
“I could hear him thumping around in the attic, probably looking for the old holiday decorations.”
“The heavy-set man continued to thump around the wooden deck, his boots striking the planks with a resonance that echoed through the quiet harbor.”
Examples
simple
“The neighbors' kids always thump around upstairs late at night.”
contextual
“I could hear him thumping around in the attic, probably looking for the old holiday decorations.”
complex
“The heavy-set man continued to thump around the wooden deck, his boots striking the planks with a resonance that echoed through the quiet harbor.”
Usage
usually followed by a preposition of place like 'in', 'on', or 'upstairs'.
Teaching tip
use this to teach onomatopoeic verbs; 'thump' mimics the sound of a heavy blow, helping students visualize the weight and noise of the movement.
Phrasal verb
Particles
around
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
thump + around
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/thump-around