bump up
Britishverb
"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-
Suddenly increase, as in Oil-producing nations decided to bump up the price of oil . This term is used mainly for prices or other figures. [ Colloquial ; 1930s]
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Give a promotion. For example, Kevin hoped to be bumped up to first class , or After five years, she expected they would bump her up to vice-president . [ Slang ; second half of 1900s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He’s just this year bumped up to principal from assistant principal and he’s very enthusiastic about the new gig.
From Literature
Retailers are closely monitoring whether or when shoppers will balk at prices bumped up by import costs.
From Barron's
The S&P 500 has bumped up against its 50-day moving average, a popular trend indicator, but has not yet broken through to the downside.
From MarketWatch
Sometimes that leads to family members bumping up against each other in questionable ways.
From Los Angeles Times
“We’ve passed this hurdle, which isn’t to say there aren’t other hurdles or road bumps up ahead, but this feels good.”
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
