jump
[ juhmp ]
/ dʒʌmp /
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verb (used without object)
to spring clear of the ground or other support by a sudden muscular effort; leap: to jump into the air; to jump out a window.
to rise suddenly or quickly: He jumped from his seat when she entered.
to move or jerk suddenly, as from surprise or shock: He jumped when the firecracker exploded.
to obey quickly and energetically; hustle: The waiter was told to jump when the captain signaled.
Informal. to be full of activity; bustle: The whole town is jumping with excitement.
to start a campaign, program, military attack, etc.; launch an activity, especially of major proportions (usually followed by off): The march jumped off early in the morning.
Checkers. to move from one side of an opponent's piece to a vacant square on the opposite side, thus capturing the opponent's piece.
to rise suddenly in amount, price, etc.: Costs jumped again this quarter.
to pass abruptly, ignoring intervening steps or deliberation: to jump to a conclusion.
to change abruptly: The traffic light jumped from green to red.
to move or change suddenly, haphazardly, aimlessly, or after a short period: He jumped from job to job.
to pass or go aimlessly: He jumped from one thing to another without being able to concentrate on anything.
Digital Technology. to pass instantaneously, and sometimes randomly, to a point out of sequence for entering, recording, or playing back data; skip: Notice that when you press "End" the cursor jumps to the end of the line.The music streaming service keeps jumping back to the top of the playlist.
to parachute from an airplane.
to take eagerly; seize (often followed by at): He jumped at the offer of a free trip.
to enter into something with vigor (usually followed by in or into): She jumped into the discussion right away.
to advance rapidly from one level to another, especially in rank; pass through or skip intermediate stages in a forward or upward progression: He jumped from clerk to general manager in a year.
Movies. (of a shot or frame) to fail to line up properly with the preceding or following frames because of a mechanical fault in the camera or projector.
Bridge. to make a jump bid: She jumped from three clubs to four spades.
Journalism. (of newspaper copy) to continue on a subsequent page, following intervening copy (opposed to turn).
verb (used with object)
to leap or spring over: to jump a narrow stream.
to cause to leap: She jumped the horse over the fence.
to skip or pass over; bypass: to jump the third grade in school.
to move past or start before (a signal); anticipate: One car jumped the red light and collided with a truck.
to increase sharply: The store jumped its prices.
Checkers. to capture (an opponent's piece) by leaping over.
to attack or pounce upon without warning, as from ambush: The thugs jumped him in a dark alley.
to elevate or advance, especially in rank, by causing to skip or pass rapidly through intermediate stages: The boss jumped his son from mail clerk to plant manager.
Bridge. to raise (the bid) by more than necessary to reach the next bidding level, especially as a signal to one's partner.
Informal.
- to abscond from; leave: The robbers jumped town.
- to flee or escape from.
to seize or occupy illegally or forcibly (a mining claim or the like), as on the ground of some flaw in the holder's title.
(of trains, trolleys, etc.) to spring off or leave (the track).
to get on board (a train, bus, etc.) quickly or with little planning or preparation for the trip: He jumped a plane for Chicago.
Journalism. to continue (a story) from one page to another over intervening copy.
Metalworking. to upset; thicken (a bar or the like) by striking the end (often followed by up).
Slang: Vulgar. to engage in an act of sexual intercourse with.
to connect (a dead battery) to a live battery by attaching booster cables between the respective terminals.
noun
an act or instance of jumping; leap.
a space, obstacle, apparatus, or the like, cleared or to be cleared in a leap.
a short or hurried journey.
a descent by parachute from an airplane.
a sudden rise in amount, price, etc.: a considerable jump in the stock market.
a sudden upward or other movement of an inanimate object.
an abrupt transition from one point or thing to another, with omission of what intervenes: The speaker made an unexplained jump in topic.
a move or one of a series of moves: The gangster stayed one jump ahead of the police.
Sports. any of several contests that feature a leap or jump.Compare long jump (def. 2), high jump (def. 1).
Movies. a break in the continuity of action due to a failure to match the action of one frame with the following one of the same scene.
a sudden start as from nervous excitement: He gave a jump when the firecracker went off.
Checkers. the act of taking an opponent's piece by leaping over it to an unoccupied square.
the jumps, Informal. restlessness; nervousness; anxiety: Long trips in trains and planes give me the jumps.
Also called breakover .Journalism. the part of a story continued on another page.
Mathematics. the difference in limit values at a jump discontinuity of a given function.
Automotive. jump-start (def. 1).
adjective
Jazz.
- of, relating to, or characteristic of swing.
- of, relating to, or characteristic of jazz; played at a bright tempo.
adverb
Obsolete. exactly; precisely.
Verb Phrases
jump on, to blame or rebuke; reprimand: He'll jump on anyone who contradicts him.
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ALL IN FAVO(U)R OF THIS BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ENGLISH QUIZ
There's an ocean of difference between the way people speak English in the US vs. the UK. Are your language skills up to the task of telling the difference? Let's find out!
Question 1 of 7
True or false? British English and American English are only different when it comes to slang words.
Idioms about jump
get / have the jump on, to get or have a head start or an initial advantage over: They got the jump on us in selling the item, but we finally caught up.
jump aboard / on board, to join a group, activity, etc., especially one that has been operating or functioning for some time: After some hesitation, he jumped aboard and contributed heavily to the campaign.
jump all over, to reprimand or criticize: You don't have to jump all over me just because I'm a little late.
jump bail. bail1 (def. 7).
jump down someone's throat. throat (def. 12).
jump in / into with both feet, to join or enter into exuberantly, eagerly, hastily, etc.
jump ship. ship1 (def. 16).
jump the gun. gun1 (def. 15).
jump the shark. shark1 (def. 2).
on the jump, in a hurry; running about: Lively youngsters keep their parents on the jump.
Origin of jump
First recorded in 1505–15; compare Danish gumpe “to jolt,” gimpe “to move up and down,” Swedish gumpa, Low German gumpen “to jump”
synonym study for jump
1. Jump, leap, vault imply propelling oneself by a muscular effort, either into the air or from one position or place to another. Jump and leap are often used interchangeably, but jump indicates more particularly the springing movement of the feet in leaving the ground or support: to jump up and down. Leap (which formerly also meant to run) indicates the passage, by a springing movement of the legs, from one point or position to another: to leap across a brook. Vault implies leaping, especially with the aid of the hands or some instrument, over or upon something: to vault ( over ) a fence.
OTHER WORDS FROM jump
jump·a·ble, adjectivejump·ing·ly, adverboutjump, verb (used with object)un·jump·a·ble, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use jump in a sentence
In 2013, the show’s viewership jumped from the previous season by a full 33 percent among women age 18–34 — something almost unheard of for a show then nearly 10 seasons into its run.
Supernatural’s bonkers series finale marked the end of an era of fandom|Aja Romano|November 20, 2020|VoxHis personal progress would be crucial the following year when, at just 16 years old, Bjerg was offered his first paid, pro contract by the Copenhagen Wolves, an opportunity he “jumped at.”
The closure is the latest in new restrictions added across the Washington region as caseloads have jumped.
Smithsonian museums, zoo to close as coronavirus caseload in D.C. region hits record for 16th day|Dana Hedgpeth, Ovetta Wiggins|November 19, 2020|Washington PostCoronavirus hospitalizations are climbing quickly in Utah, with an 18 percent jump in the past week alone, and more than 3,000 new coronavirus cases being reported each day.
From 2012 to last year, the number of Guatemalans apprehended at the border jumped from some 34,000 to more than 264,000, according to federal reports.
Inside the Lives of Immigrant Teens Working Dangerous Night Shifts in Suburban Factories|by Melissa Sanchez|November 19, 2020|ProPublica“When Tanveer realized what was happening, he jumped out of the truck, but the Iranians shot him,” Abdullah says.
The Dangerous Drug-Funded Secret War Between Iran and Pakistan|Umar Farooq|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEASTFidel jumped out and hopped into the ocean without getting wet.
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind|Brin-Jonathan Butler|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEASTApparently tourism in the country had jumped tenfold since the film hit theaters.
Livvix allegedly arrived in Israel a short time after he jumped bail on drug charges.
The studio took him at his word and jumped at the chance to close down, or at least reduce, his costly operation.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEASTOnce the rope got tangled around Squinty's foot, and he jumped over it to get free.
Squinty the Comical Pig|Richard BarnumAll this while Squinty was chewing on the apple which he had picked up from the ground after he had jumped over the rope.
Squinty the Comical Pig|Richard BarnumAt the sound of Blanche's name he jumped up and took his usual tone; he knew all about his wife, and needed no information.
Confidence|Henry James"My name is Slicko," answered the lively little girl squirrel, as she jumped about.
Squinty the Comical Pig|Richard BarnumTom jumped behind a bush, and as they passed tried to fire, but the foliage was so dense that he failed to get a good aim.
Hunting the Lions|R.M. Ballantyne
British Dictionary definitions for jump
jump
/ (dʒʌmp) /
verb
(intr) to leap or spring clear of the ground or other surface by using the muscles in the legs and feet
(tr) to leap over or clear (an obstacle)to jump a gap
(tr) to cause to leap over an obstacleto jump a horse over a hedge
(intr) to move or proceed hastily (into, onto, out of, etc)she jumped into a taxi and was off
(tr) informal to board so as to travel illegally onhe jumped the train as it was leaving
(intr) to parachute from an aircraft
(intr) to jerk or start, as with astonishment, surprise, etcshe jumped when she heard the explosion
to rise or cause to rise suddenly or abruptly
to pass or skip over (intervening objects or matter)she jumped a few lines and then continued reading
(intr) to change from one thing to another, esp from one subject to another
(tr) to drill by means of a jumper
(intr) (of a film)
- to have sections of a continuous sequence omitted, as through faulty cutting
- to flicker, as through faulty alignment of the film
(tr) US to promote in rank, esp unexpectedly or to a higher rank than expected
(tr) to start (a car) using jump leads
draughts to capture (an opponent's piece) by moving one of one's own pieces over it to an unoccupied square
(intr) bridge to bid in response to one's partner at a higher level than is necessary, to indicate a strong hand
(tr) to come off (a track, rail, etc)the locomotive jumped the rails
(intr) (of the stylus of a record player) to be jerked out of the groove
(intr) slang to be livelythe party was jumping when I arrived
(tr) informal to attack without warningthieves jumped the old man as he walked through the park
(tr) informal (of a driver or a motor vehicle) to pass through (a red traffic light) or move away from (traffic lights) before they change to green
(tr) British slang (of a man) to have sexual intercourse with
jump bail to forfeit one's bail by failing to appear in court, esp by absconding
jump down someone's throat informal to address or reply to someone with unexpected sharpness
jump ship to desert, esp to leave a ship in which one is legally bound to serve
jump the queue See queue-jump
jump to it informal to begin something quickly and efficiently
noun
an act or instance of jumping
a space, distance, or obstacle to be jumped or that has been jumped
a descent by parachute from an aircraft
sport any of several contests involving a jumpthe high jump
a sudden risethe jump in prices last month
a sudden or abrupt transition
a sudden jerk or involuntary muscular spasm, esp as a reaction of surprise
a step or degreeone jump ahead
draughts a move that captures an opponent's piece by jumping over it
films
- a break in continuity in the normal sequence of shots
- (as modifier)a jump cut
computing another name for branch (def. 7)
British slang an act of sexual intercourse
on the jump informal, mainly US and Canadian
- in a hurry
- busy and energetic
take a running jump British informal a contemptuous expression of dismissal
Derived forms of jump
jumpable, adjectivejumpingly, adverbWord Origin for jump
C16: probably of imitative origin; compare Swedish gumpa to jump
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with jump
jump
In addition to the idioms beginning with jump
- jump all over someone
- jump at
- jump bail
- jump down someone's throat
- jump in
- jump on
- jump out of one's skin
- jump the gun
- jump the track
- jump through hoops
- jump to a conclusion
also see:
- get the drop (jump) on
- go fly a kite (jump in the lake)
- hop, skip and a jump
- not know which way to jump
- one jump ahead of
- skip (jump) bail
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.