clump

[ kluhmp ]

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.

verb (used without object)

1. Also clomp []. to walk heavily and clumsily.
2. Immunology. to gather or be gathered into clumps; agglutinate.

verb (used with object)

1. to gather or form into a clump; mass.

clump

/ klʌmp /

noun

1. a cluster, as of trees or plants
2. a dull heavy tread or any similar sound
3. an irregular mass

   a 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

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. slang.
   tr to punch (someone)

Derived Forms

• ˈclumpy, adjective
• ˈclumpiness, noun

Other Words From

• clumpy clumpish clumplike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of clump¹

First recorded in 1580–90; akin to Dutch klompe “lump, mass,” Old English clympre “lump of metal”

Word History and Origins

Origin of clump¹

Old English clympe; related to Middle Dutch klampe heap of hay, Middle Low German klampe clamp ², Swedish klimp small lump

Example Sentences

Fires can also destroy the natural clumps in soil, increasing their erodibility.

From Popular-Science

This finding suggests that these clumps of dark matter, in which individual galaxies are embedded, are denser than expected.

From Science News

In that set, the team identified 13 cases of severe gravitational lensing by dark matter clumps around individual galaxies.

From Science News

These observations indicate there are more high-density dark matter clumps in real galaxy clusters than in simulated ones, Meneghetti says.

From Science News

As in the n-tuple method, in a CNN the pixels forming an image are analyzed in spatially adjacent clumps, but succeeding stages provide deeper analysis.

From Nautilus

Mistletoe bushes clump on branches like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.

From The Daily Beast

The drain clogs in the shower every few days, and the clump of tangled brown hair is springy between my fingers.

From The Daily Beast

Blood platelets clump together more slowly in chocolate eaters, the studies say.

From The Daily Beast

For example, on Diaspora you clump people into “Aspects” like Friends, Family, and Acquaintances.

From The Daily Beast

And in her right hand was a clump of hair that did not belong to her.

From The Daily Beast

Chumru quickly picked out the house of a zemindar, or land-owner, which stood in its own walled enclosure behind a clump of trees.

From Project Gutenberg

What was equally important, a thick clump of cottonwood and willow furnished tolerably secure concealment.

From Project Gutenberg

The broad veranda was shaded by a clump of tall banana-trees, swaying to and fro in the gentle breeze.

From Project Gutenberg

It was nearly six weeks after the day that she had watched him as far as the clump of willows that he came again.

From Project Gutenberg

A horse or a tree or a clump of brush loomed up grotesquely in the vaporous blur.

From Project Gutenberg