lump

¹ American  

[luhmp] / lʌmp /

noun

1. a piece or mass of solid matter without regular shape or of no particular shape.

   a lump of coal.

2. a protuberance or swelling.

   a blow that raised a lump on his head.

3. an aggregation, collection, or mass; clump.

   All the articles were piled in a great lump.

4. 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?

5. the greater part or number; a large number.

   The great lump of voters are still undecided.

6. Informal. lumps, harsh criticism, punishment, or defeat.

   The new theory came in for some lumps when other scholars heard of it.

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

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adjective

1. in the form of a lump or lumps.

   lump sugar.

2. 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)

1. to unite into one aggregation, collection, or mass (often followed bytogether ).

   We lumped the reds and blues together.

2. to deal with, handle, consider, etc., in the lump or mass.

   to lump unrelated matters indiscriminately.

3. to make into a lump or lumps.

   to lump dough before shaping it into loaves.

4. to raise into or cover with lumps.

   a plow lumping the moist earth.

verb (used without object)

1. to form or raise a lump or lumps.

   Stir the gravy so that it doesn't lump.

2. to move heavily and awkwardly.

   The big oaf lumped along beside me.

idioms

1. 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.

lump ² American  

[luhmp] / lʌmp /

verb (used with object)

Informal.

1. to put up with; resign oneself to; accept and endure.

   If you don't like it, you can lump it.

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lump ¹ British  

/ lʌmp /

noun

1. a small solid mass without definite shape

2. pathol any small swelling or tumour

3. a collection of things; aggregate

4. informal an awkward, heavy, or stupid person

5. informal (plural) punishment, defeat, or reverses

   he took his lumps

6. 1. self-employed workers in the building trade considered collectively, esp with reference to tax and national insurance evasion

   2. ( as modifier )

      lump labour

7. (modifier) in the form of a lump or lumps

   lump sugar

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

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verb

1. to collect into a mass or group

2. (intr) to grow into lumps or become lumpy

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

4. (tr) to make or cause lumps in or on

5. to move or proceed in a heavy manner

lump ² British  

/ lʌmp /

verb

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

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lump More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing lump

• like it or lump it

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Other Word Forms

• lumpingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of lump¹

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

Origin of lump²

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

Explanation

If it's hard to determine its shape and otherwise looks like a big blob of something, it's probably safe to call it a lump. Jabba the Hut looks like a disgusting lump. So does the growing mound on your noggin where you walked into the glass door. And if you've been lumped together with a bad bunch, you might have been grouped with people indiscriminately. But all lumps aren't bad. Little old ladies put lumps of sugar into their tea. And that choked up feeling you get during a sappy movie? That's just a lump in your throat.

Example Sentences

But investors would be mistaken to lump these markets together.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

The terms could allow limited access before 25 for things like education, emergencies or housing, and could also provide for gradual distributions rather than a lump sum.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Instead of a lump sum, you’ll receive a payment each month for a given period, and those payments do count for your income taxes.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

It is a rare cancer, and people should look out for a lump in the area, itching and even bleeding.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

How could she ever turn such a giant lump into anything useful?

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• bulge
• bump
• chunk
• hunk
• knot
• pile
• swelling
• tumor
• wad