dump

American  

[duhmp] / dʌmp /

verb (used with object)

• dumps,
  present (3rd person singular)
• dumped,
  past participle,  past
• dumping
  present participle

1. to drop or let fall in a mass; fling down or drop heavily or suddenly.

   Dump the topsoil here.

2. to empty out, as from a container, by tilting or overturning.

3. to unload or empty out (a container), as by tilting or overturning.

4. to dismiss, fire, or release from a contract.

   The first baseman was dumped from the team after hitting .210 for the first half of the season.

5. Informal. to end a relationship with (someone, especially a romantic partner), especially when the decision is one-sided.

   I can’t believe she waited until just after Valentine’s Day to dump me.

6. to transfer or rid oneself of suddenly and irresponsibly.

   Don't dump your troubles on me!

7. Boxing Slang.

   1. to knock down.

      The champion was dumped twice but won the fight.

   2. to lose (a match) intentionally.

      a bribe to dump a fight.

8. Commerce.

   1. to put (goods or securities) on the market in large quantities and at a low price without regard to the effect on market conditions.

   2. to sell (goods) into foreign markets below cost in order to promote exports or damage foreign competition.

9. Computers. to print, display, or record on an output medium (the contents of a computer's internal storage or the contents of a file), often at the time a program fails.

10. Slang. to kill; murder.

    There were threats to dump him if he didn't pay up.

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verb (used without object)

• dumps,
  present (3rd person singular)
• dumped,
  past participle,  past
• dumping
  present participle

1. to fall or drop down suddenly.

2. to throw away or discard garbage, refuse, etc.

3. Commerce.

   1. to offer goods for sale in large quantities at a low price.

   2. to dump below-cost goods into foreign markets.

4. to release contents.

   a sewage pipe that dumps in the ocean.

5. Informal. to complain, criticize, gossip, or tell another person one's problems.

   He calls me up just to dump.

6. Slang: Vulgar. defecate.

noun

• dumps
  plural

1. an accumulation of discarded garbage, refuse, etc.

2. Also called dumpsite, dumping-ground.  a place where garbage, refuse, etc., is deposited.

3. Military.

   1. a collection of ammunition, stores, etc., deposited at some point, as near a battlefront, for distribution.

   2. the ammunition, stores, etc., so deposited.

4. the act of dumping.

5. Mining.

   1. a runway or embankment equipped with tripping devices, from which low-grade ore, rock, etc., are dumped.

   2. the pile of ore so dumped.

6. Informal. a place, house, or town that is dilapidated, dirty, or disreputable.

7. (in merchandising) a bin or specially made carton in which items are displayed for sale.

   Fifty copies of the best-selling paperback novel were in a dump near the checkout counter.

8. Computers. a copy of the contents of a computer's internal storage or of the contents of a file at a given instant, that is printed, displayed, or stored on an output medium.

9. Slang: Vulgar. an act of defecating; evacuation.

   This photo is fantastic, except for the dog you can see taking a dump in the background.

idioms

1. dump on (someone),

   1. to treat with disrespect, especially to criticize harshly or attack with verbal abuse.

      Reporters never tired of dumping on certain public figures.

   2. to unload one's problems onto (another person).

      You never phone me without dumping on me.

dump ¹ British  

/ dʌmp /

verb

1. to drop, fall, or let fall heavily or in a mass

2. (tr) to empty (objects or material) out of a container

3. to unload, empty, or make empty (a container), as by tilting or overturning

4. informal (tr) to dispose of

5. (tr) to dispose of (waste, esp radioactive nuclear waste) in the sea or on land

6. commerce

   1. to market (goods) in bulk and at low prices

   2. to offer for sale large quantities of (goods) on foreign markets at low prices in order to maintain a high price in the home market and obtain a share of the foreign markets

7. (tr) to store (supplies, arms, etc) temporarily

8. slang (intr) to defecate

9. (tr) surfing (of a wave) to hurl a swimmer or surfer down

10. (tr) to compact (bales of wool) by hydraulic pressure

11. (tr) computing to record (the contents of part or all of the memory) on a storage device, such as magnetic tape, at a series of points during a computer run

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noun

1. 1. a place or area where waste materials are dumped

   2. ( in combination )

      rubbish dump

2. a pile or accumulation of rubbish

3. the act of dumping

4. informal a dirty or unkempt place

5. military a place where weapons, supplies, etc, are stored

6. slang an act of defecation

dump ² British  

/ dʌmp /

noun

1. obsolete a mournful song; lament

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• dumper
  noun
• undumped
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• dumps
  plural

Participles

• dumping
  present
• dumped
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• dump
  simple
• dumps
  simple
• have dumped
  perfect
• has dumped
  perfect
• am dumping
  progressive
• are dumping
  progressive
• is dumping
  progressive
• have been dumping
  perfect progressive
• has been dumping
  perfect progressive

Past

• dumped
  simple
• had dumped
  perfect
• was dumping
  progressive
• were dumping
  progressive
• had been dumping
  perfect progressive

Future

• will dump
  simple
• will have dumped
  perfect
• will be dumping
  progressive
• will have been dumping
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of dump

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English dompen, dumpen in the sense “to fall suddenly, plunge,” from Old Norse dumpa “to thump, strike, bump”; modern senses of the transitive verb and noun are unknown before the 19th century, perhaps derive from another source, or are an independent expressive formation

Explanation

A dump is a place where trash is stored in piles and often buried underground. If you have an old bike that can't be repaired, you might take it to the dump. Some towns have dumps where residents can freely dispose of garbage, while others require people to pay for the rubbish they bring. You can also call a dump a "landfill," but dump makes sense — it comes from the verb dump, "to toss, drop, or throw away." A figurative meaning of the word is to abruptly and unkindly break off a romantic relationship with someone: "It would be so mean to dump him on his birthday."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dump dumps dumped dumping

The storm was expected to dump 6-10 inches of rain on Kauai, with 4-8 inches of rain forecast for Oahu and the Big Island.

From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026

It’s rare in these days of the Netflix exposition dump for a show to explain what it’s all about in concise moments like this.

From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026

That’s made some investors eager to dump their exposure.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026

Gowan told Sheen in the documentary: "There was no regulation at the time, they could dump it wherever they wanted to."

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

Kostakis Brothers Trucking sent three giant dump trucks to move everything from gym to warehouse free of charge.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

People living in informal settlements built on mine waste dumps are falling ill and more "houses will crack and fall into sinkholes", he said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

Cole is a former cop who feels guilty about his father’s death, a backstory as lackluster as the exposition dumps that blurt it out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

A Shropshire vicar played a key role in a new two-part BBC documentary featuring Welsh Hollywood actor Michael Sheen's investigation into toxic waste dumps.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

To keep its head above water, China dumps its excess capacity on world markets.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

And Washington, playing his role in the agent’s double-dealing, supplied Hunter with such real tidbits as the actual strength of his army and the location of his supply dumps.

From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen

Even if someone is involuntarily hospitalized, he usually only gets a week or less, not enough time to be stabilized, and then is dumped on the street again.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

Wales' environmental regulator has issued enforcement notices after reports of waste being dumped in two neighbouring villages.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

August alone saw two other films of varying quality, “The Last House” and “Don’t Say Good Luck,” all but dumped onto the platform with relatively little to no fanfare.

From Salon ● Sep. 2, 2026

It dumped 5.62 inches of rain on L.A. over three days, sent wind gusts of up to 65 mph and resulted in 45 deaths from flooding on land, with an additional 48 deaths at sea.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

In 2013, about 300 tons of it was accidentally dumped into the ocean.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

After the Second World War ended, the Allies disposed of tons of ammunition by dumping it into the ocean so it could not fall into the wrong hands.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

In “Kitchen Confidential,” Bourdain’s bestselling memoir from 2000, he called brunch “a dumping ground for the odd bits left over from Friday and Saturday nights.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026

You may also pick up on local news reports about a 747 dumping fuel on several South-Central elementary schools, inspired by a true story from January 2020.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Private landowners whose land is used for illegal waste dumping are normally expected to pay for the clear-up.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

“Six years,” I replied, dumping the earth beside the hole.

From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings

Related Words

• deposit
• discard
• discharge
• dispose of
• ditch
• drain
• empty
• get rid of
• jettison
• leave
• scrap
• unload