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clump

[kluhmp]
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noun
  1. a small, close group or cluster, especially of trees or other plants.
  2. a lump or mass
  3. a heavy, thumping step, sound, etc.
  4. Immunology. a cluster of agglutinated bacteria, red blood cells, etc.
  5. a thick extra sole on a shoe.
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verb (used without object)
  1. Also clomp. to walk heavily and clumsily.
  2. Immunology. to gather or be gathered into clumps; agglutinate.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to gather or form into a clump; mass.
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Origin of clump

1580–90; akin to Dutch klompe lump, mass, Old English clympre lump of metal
Related formsclump·y, clump·ish, clump·like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

bundle, chunk, wad, lump, cluster, hunk, blob, knot, jumble, body, set, group, parcel, hodgepodge, shock, batch, gob, nugget, clutter, lot

Examples from the Web for clump

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • On the homeward way they turned into a lane and came to a clump of catnip.

    A Night Out

    Edward Peple

  • As a rule he waited on the top of the hill in the clump of pines.

  • Philip repeated to Mr. Stubmore the story he had imparted to Mr. Clump.

    Night and Morning, Complete

    Edward Bulwer-Lytton

  • How would this clump of bushes serve for a hiding place while we wait?

    The Rock of Chickamauga

    Joseph A. Altsheler

  • Crouching low in the shade of a clump of bushes, Grant stole toward the spot.

    Good Indian

    B. M. Bower

British Dictionary definitions for clump

clump

noun
  1. a cluster, as of trees or plants
  2. a dull heavy tread or any similar sound
  3. an irregular massa clump of hair or earth
  4. an inactive mass of microorganisms, esp a mass of bacteria produced as a result of agglutination
  5. an extra sole on a shoe
  6. slang a blow
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verb
  1. (intr) to walk or tread heavily
  2. to gather or be gathered into clumps, clusters, clots, etc
  3. to cause (bacteria, blood cells, etc) to collect together or (of bacteria, etc) to collect together
  4. (tr) slang to punch (someone)
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Derived Formsclumpy, adjectiveclumpiness, noun

Word Origin

Old English clympe; related to Middle Dutch klampe heap of hay, Middle Low German klampe clamp ², Swedish klimp small lump
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for clump

n.

1580s, "lump; cluster of trees," from Middle English clompe "a lump" (c.1300), from Dutch klomp "lump, mass," or Middle Low German klumpe "clog, wooden shoe." Old English had clympre "lump, mass of metal."

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v.2

"walk heavily," 1660s, imitative. Related: Clumped; clumping.

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v.1

"to heap or gather in clumps" (transitive), 1824, from clump (n.). Related: Clumped; clumping. Intransitive sense "to form a clump or clumps" is recorded from 1896.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper