BUMP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bump mean? 

• BUMP (noun)
  The noun BUMP has 3 senses:

1. a lump on the body caused by a blow

2. something that bulges out or is protuberant or projects from its surroundings

3. an impact (as from a collision)

  Familiarity information: BUMP used as a noun is uncommon.

• BUMP (verb)
  The verb BUMP has 5 senses:

1. knock against with force or violence

2. come upon, as if by accident; meet with

3. dance erotically or dance with the pelvis thrust forward

4. assign to a lower position; reduce in rank

5. remove or force from a position of dwelling previously occupied

  Familiarity information: BUMP used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BUMP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A lump on the body caused by a blow

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("bump" is a kind of...):

harm; hurt; injury; trauma (any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Something that bulges out or is protuberant or projects from its surroundings

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

bulge; bump; excrescence; extrusion; gibbosity; gibbousness; hump; jut; prominence; protrusion; protuberance; swelling

Context example:

the bony excrescence between its horns

Hypernyms ("bump" is a kind of...):

projection (any solid convex shape that juts out from something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "bump"):

belly (a part that bulges deeply)

wart (any small rounded protuberance (as on certain plants or animals))

snag (a sharp protuberance)

nub; nubble (a small lump or protuberance)

mogul (a bump on a ski slope)

caput (a headlike protuberance on an organ or structure)

occipital protuberance (prominence on the outer surface of the occipital bone)

frontal eminence (either prominence of the frontal bone above each orbit)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An impact (as from a collision)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

blow; bump

Context example:

the bump threw him off the bicycle

Hypernyms ("bump" is a kind of...):

impact (the striking of one body against another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "bump"):

concussion (any violent blow)

rap; strike; tap (a gentle blow)

bang; bash; belt; knock; smash (a vigorous blow)

buffeting; pounding (repeated heavy blows)

sideswipe (a glancing blow from or on the side of something (especially motor vehicles))

slap; smack (a blow from a flat object (as an open hand))

jar; jolt; jounce; shock (a sudden jarring impact)

Derivation:

bump (knock against with force or violence)

bumpy (causing or characterized by jolts and irregular movements)

• BUMP (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they bump    ... he / she / it bumps   
Past simple: bumped   
Past participle: bumped   
-ing form: bumping   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Knock against with force or violence

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

bump; knock

Context example:

My car bumped into the tree

Hypernyms (to "bump" is one way to...):

collide with; hit; impinge on; run into; strike (hit against; come into sudden contact with)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Also:

bump into (collide violently with an obstacle)

Derivation:

bump (an impact (as from a collision))

bumper (a mechanical device consisting of bars at either end of a vehicle to absorb shock and prevent serious damage)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Come upon, as if by accident; meet with

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

bump; chance; encounter; find; happen

Context example:

She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Dance erotically or dance with the pelvis thrust forward

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

bump and grind

Hypernyms (to "bump" is one way to...):

dance; trip the light fantastic; trip the light fantastic toe (move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

They bump

Sense 4

Meaning:

Assign to a lower position; reduce in rank

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

break; bump; demote; kick downstairs; relegate

Context example:

He was broken down to Sergeant

Hypernyms (to "bump" is one way to...):

assign; delegate; depute; designate (give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bump"):

sideline (remove from the center of activity or attention; place into an inferior position)

reduce (bring to humbler or weaker state or condition)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s something PP

Also:

bump off (kill intentionally and with premeditation)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Remove or force from a position of dwelling previously occupied

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

bump; dislodge

Context example:

The new employee dislodged her by moving into her office space

Hypernyms (to "bump" is one way to...):

displace (cause to move, usually with force or pressure)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bump"):

throw (cause to fall off)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

 Context examples 

A thickening of the skin due to friction or pressure which results in the formation of a small, painful, raised bump associated with a conical mass pointing down into the dermis.

(Corn, NCI Thesaurus)

The small bundles of smooth muscle connected to hair follicles that cause the hair to stand straight creating 'goose bumps.'

(Erector Muscle of the Hair, NCI Thesaurus)

It appears as a slightly elevated and yellow bump usually in the skin around the eyes.

(Cholesterol Deposit, NCI Thesaurus)

Your age, hormone levels, and medicines you take may cause lumps, bumps, and discharges (fluids that are not breast milk).

(Breast Diseases, NIH: National Cancer Institute)

It may appear as a small white or flesh-colored bump that grows slowly and may bleed.

(Basal cell cancer, NCI Dictionary)

Two common eye infections are: • Conjunctivitis - also known as pinkeye • Stye - a bump on the eyelid that happens when bacteria from your skin get into the hair follicle of an eyelash.

(Eye Infections, NIH)

The warts are soft, moist, pink, or flesh-colored bumps.

(Genital Warts, NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Hives are red and sometimes itchy bumps on your skin.

(Hives, NIH)

A small, solid, raised bump on the skin that has a border with edges that are easy to see.

(Papule, NCI Dictionary)

These symptoms include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, diarrhea and vomiting, and cold flashes with goose bumps.

(Heroin, NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse)