lump

[ luhmp ]

/ lʌmp /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR lump ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a piece or mass of solid matter without regular shape or of no particular shape: a lump of coal.

a protuberance or swelling: a blow that raised a lump on his head.

an aggregation, collection, or mass; clump: All the articles were piled in a great lump.

Also called lump of sugar. a small block of granulated sugar, designed for sweetening hot coffee, tea, etc.: How many lumps do you take in your coffee?

majority; plurality; multitude: The great lump of voters are still undecided.

lumps, Informal. harsh criticism, punishment, or defeat: The new theory came in for some lumps when other scholars heard of it.

Informal. a heavy, clumsy, and usually stupid person.

adjective

in the form of a lump or lumps: lump sugar.

made up of a number of items taken together; not separated or considered separately: The debts were paid in one lump sum.

verb (used with object)

to unite into one aggregation, collection, or mass (often followed by together): We lumped the reds and blues together.

to deal with, handle, consider, etc., in the lump or mass: to lump unrelated matters indiscriminately.

to make into a lump or lumps: to lump dough before shaping it into loaves.

to raise into or cover with lumps: a plow lumping the moist earth.

verb (used without object)

to form or raise a lump or lumps: Stir the gravy so that it doesn't lump.

to move heavily and awkwardly: The big oaf lumped along beside me.

Nearby words

lumisterol, lumière, lumme, lummix, lummox, lump, lump hammer, lump in one's throat, lump of sugar, lump sum, lumpectomy

Idioms

get/take one's lumps, to receive or endure hardship, punishment, criticism, etc.: Without its star pitcher, the baseball team will get its lumps today.

Origin of lump

1250–1300; Middle English lumpe, lomp(e); cognate with early Dutch lompe piece, Danish lump(e) lump, dialectal Norwegian lump block

Related forms

lump·ing·ly, adverb

Definition for lump (2 of 2)

lump

[ luhmp ]

/ lʌmp /

verb (used with object) Informal.

to put up with; resign oneself to; accept and endure: If you don't like it, you can lump it.

Origin of lump

1785–95; Americanism; perhaps identical with British dialect lump to look sullen, of expressive orig.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for lump

French President François Hollande is telling the French people they should “not lump them together.”
France’s Wave of Crazy-Terror Christmas Attacks|Christopher Dickey|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If the Americans are going to lump them together with ISIS, maybe best to join forces.
ISIS and Al Qaeda Ready to Gang Up on Obama's Rebels|Jamie Dettmer|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The one-time anti-bullying champion let his attorney seek to lump the victim together with the victimizer.
Ray Rice Should Have Remembered His 'Kindness' Anti-Bullying Wristband|Michael Daly|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One morning in late December, Sclove told me she awoke to discover a lump on her lower spine.
Is Sex Assault a Crime in the Ivy League?|Olivia Nuzzi|May 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The lump, it turned out, was the result of a dislocated vertebrae.
Is Sex Assault a Crime in the Ivy League?|Olivia Nuzzi|May 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Major hardly ever visited the henhouse without finding a lump somewhere.
The Tale of Major Monkey|Arthur Scott Bailey
Not much, but that was a pretty good crack, was Andys reply, as he felt his head where a lump was rapidly rising.
First at the North Pole|Edward Stratemeyer
Paulette blew alive the coals of last night's fire, and made coffee and carried it across to her husband with a lump of bread.
Home Fires in France|Dorothy Canfield
It is looking up into your face, and its mouth is open as if anticipating a lump of sugar.
The Sorcery Club|Elliott O'Donnell
He longed to say "some currants," but he had failed before, and he substituted "a lump of sugar."
The Altar Steps|Compton MacKenzie

British Dictionary definitions for lump (1 of 2)

lump

/ (lʌmp) /

noun

a small solid mass without definite shape

pathol any small swelling or tumour

a collection of things; aggregate

informal an awkward, heavy, or stupid person

(plural) US informal punishment, defeat, or reverseshe took his lumps

the lump British

self-employed workers in the building trade considered collectively, esp with reference to tax and national insurance evasion
(as modifier)lump labour

(modifier) in the form of a lump or lumpslump sugar

a lump in one's throat a tight dry feeling in one's throat, usually caused by great emotion

verb

(tr often foll by together) to collect into a mass or group

(intr) to grow into lumps or become lumpy

(tr) to consider as a single group, often without justification

(tr) to make or cause lumps in or on

(intr often foll by along) to move or proceed in a heavy manner

Word Origin for lump

C13: probably related to early Dutch lompe piece, Scandinavian dialect lump block, Middle High German lumpe rag

British Dictionary definitions for lump (2 of 2)

lump

/ (lʌmp) /

verb

(tr) informal to tolerate or put up with; endure (in the phrase lump it)

Word Origin for lump

C16: origin uncertain

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

Idioms and Phrases with lump

lump

In addition to the idiom beginning with lump

lump in one's throat

also see:

like it or lump it