lump

[ luhmp ]

/ lʌmp /

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See synonyms for: lump / lumps 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?

the greater part or number; a large number: 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.

QUIZ

TAKE JOY IN ACING THIS QUIZ ON “PRIDE” SYNONYMS

Hold your head up high as you embark on this quiz that explores some of the synonyms and meanings of “pride.”

Question 1 of 7

What does "dignity" mean?

showing self-respect

treating others with kindness

acting selfishly

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about lump

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

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English lumpe, lomp(e); cognate with early Dutch lompe “piece,” Danish lump(e) “lump,” dialectal Norwegian lump “block”

OTHER WORDS FROM lump

lump·ing·ly, adverb

Words nearby lump

lumirhodopsin, lumisterol, lumme, lummix, lummox, lump, lumpectomy, lumpen, lumpenprole, lumpenproletariat, lumper

Other definitions for lump (2 of 2)

lump²

[ 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

An Americanism dating back to 1785–95; perhaps identical with British dialect lump “to look sullen”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use lump in a sentence

You can lump unemployment policies into two broad categories—the US-style efforts that provide payments to people who have lost their jobs, and policies popular in Europe that provide money to companies to keep workers on the payroll.
Job markets in the US and Europe are surprisingly similar|Dan Kopf|September 16, 2020|Quartz
Unlike spoons, spurtles allegedly don’t drag and prevent lumps.
In Pursuit of the Perfect Bowl of Porridge|Clarissa Wei|September 11, 2020|Eater
That arrangement might look something like paying a lump sum, Shevchuck suggests, but Moran argues “in my experience, arrangements to collect money from employees who have departed are inherently problematic.”
As Trump’s payroll tax holiday kicks in, here’s what employers and employees need to know|Anne Sraders|September 1, 2020|Fortune
Upon closer inspection of a big lump of bones in the creature’s belly, Motani’s team discovered that the last thing the ichthyosaur ate was the body of a thalattosaur, sans head and tail.
This ichthyosaur died after devouring a creature nearly as long as itself|Maria Temming|August 20, 2020|Science News

A pair of changes being rolled out to Apple’s operating systems has publishers lumping the device maker into that group as well.
‘A shady move’: Apple News+ Safari change automatically redirecting traffic to itself infuriates publishers|Max Willens|August 12, 2020|Digiday
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
Besides a few crumbs, it contained a small lump of narwhal blubber and a little packet.
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
Now Isaias had ordered that they should take a lump of figs, and lay it as a plaster upon the wound, and that he should be healed.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
He gulped back the lump in his throat; his trembling nerves became as steel.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn
Furs should be kept in a box, alone, and in summer carefully packed, with a quantity of lump camphor to protect from moths.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley
There was a lump in Perry's throat at that moment, and he stopped his rocking and turned to the fire, so his back was toward me.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd

British Dictionary definitions for lump (1 of 2)

lump¹

/ (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)

lump²

/ (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

Other 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

lump

Idioms about lump

Origin of lump

OTHER WORDS FROM lump

Words nearby lump

Other definitions for lump (2 of 2)

Origin of lump

Words related to lump

How to use lump in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lump (1 of 2)

Word Origin for lump

British Dictionary definitions for lump (2 of 2)

Word Origin for lump

Other Idioms and Phrases with lump