noun
bump
buhmp
noun
1
A light collision or jolt, or the sound it makes.
"The car came to a stop with a small bump."
2
A small swelling or lump on a surface or on the skin.
"He got a bump on his forehead after hitting the cupboard door."
"The road was full of bumps and potholes."
3
Informal term for a pregnant woman's swollen belly.
"She proudly showed off her baby bump."
verb
1
To knock against something, or to move someone or something to a later position or time.
"I accidentally bumped into her in the hallway."
"The airline bumped him to a later flight."
2
To reply to an online post specifically to push it back to the top of a list.
"He bumped the thread hoping someone would finally answer."
How to Use Bump
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA light knock or collision, a small swelling, or (as a verb) to knock into something or push something later/higher.
Common pairings
bump into someone
get bumped
bump a thread
baby bump
Word Forms
bumped past tense, bumped past tense, bumps plural, bumps plural, bumps singular, bumps singular
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The car came to a stop with a small _____.
Etymology
From Early Modern English "bump" meaning a blow from a collision, likely of North Germanic origin and imitative in nature — related to "bum" and "bumble."