bump |b?mp|
noun
1 a light blow or a jolting collision: a nasty bump on the head.
2 a protuberance on a level surface: bumps in the road.
3 informal an increase: a slight bump in sales.
4 a loosely woven fleeced cotton fabric used in upholstery and as lining material.
verb
1 [ no obj. ] knock or run into someone or something, typically with a jolt: I almost bumped into him | [ with obj. ] : she bumped the girl with her hip.
[ with obj. ] hurt or damage (something) by striking or knocking it against something else: she bumped her head on the sink.
[ with obj. ] cause to collide with something: she went through the door, bumping the bag against it.
2 [ no obj. ] move or travel with much jolting and jarring: the car bumped along the rutted track.
[ with obj. ] push (something) jerkily in a specified direction: she had to bump the wheelchair down the steps.
3 [ with obj. ] refuse (a passenger) a reserved place on an airline flight, typically because of deliberate overbooking.
PHRASES
a bump in the road informal a problem or setback: their relationship has hit another bump in the road .
PHRASAL VERBS
bump someone off informal murder someone.
bump someone up informal move someone to a higher level or status; promote: he was a writer for nine years before he was bumped up to editor.
bump something up informal 1 make larger, greater, or more numerous; increase: they finally agreed to bump up her salary. 2 make, complete, or release earlier than planned or expected: the date of publication was bumped up.
ORIGIN
mid 16th cent. (as a verb): imitative, perhaps of Scandinavian origin.
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