lump

¹

[ luhmp ]

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. lumps, Informal. 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.

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 by together ):

   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.

lump

²

[ luhmp ]

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.

lump

¹

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

verb

1. troften foll bytogether 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. introften foll byalong to move or proceed in a heavy manner

lump

²

/ lʌmp /

verb

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

Other Words From

• lumping·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of lump¹

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

Origin of lump²

C16: origin uncertain

Idioms and Phrases

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.

More idioms and phrases containing lump

In addition to the idiom beginning with lump , also see like it or lump it .

Example Sentences

For islanders, whose lives are so interwoven with the sea, the ships of Britain's biggest ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne are more than just large lumps of steel and aluminium.

From BBC

Ms Roberts said bruises and lumps had been caused by Charlie falling out of bed and told "lies" about taking him to hospital when she had not, the court heard.

From BBC

Laura, now 34, said she first realised something was wrong when she felt a lump in her right breast.

From BBC

Dowden was initially diagnosed with stage three breast cancer aged 32 in May 2023, after finding a lump in her breast the day before she went on her honeymoon.

From BBC

Gen. Rob Bonta said Norwalk’s actions have been “brazenly and defiantly violative of the law,” and cited the city’s lumping homeless shelters in with the other businesses as especially problematic.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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