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Definition of bump verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

     

    bump

     verb
    verb
    NAmE//bʌmp//
     
    Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they bump
     
    he / she / it bumps
     
    past simple bumped
     
    -ing form bumping
     
     
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  1. 1[intransitive] to hit someone or something by accident bump into somebody/something I bumped into a chair in the dark. bump against somebody/something The car bumped against the curb. Thesaurushit
    • knock
    • bang
    • strike
    • bump
    • bash
    These words all mean to come against something with a lot of force.
    • hit to come against something with force, especially causing damage or injury:The boy was hit by a speeding car.
    • knock to hit something so that it moves or breaks; to put someone or something into a particular state or position by hitting them/it:Someone had knocked a hole in the wall.
    • bang to hit something in a way that makes a loud noise:The baby was banging the table with his spoon.
    • strike (formal) to hit someone or something hard:The ship struck a rock.
    • bump to hit someone or something accidentally:In the darkness I bumped into a chair.
    • bash (informal) to hit against something very hard:I braked too late and bashed into the car in front of me.
    Patterns
    • to knock/bang/bump/bash into somebody/something
    • to knock/bang/bump/bash on something
    • to hit/knock/bang/strike/bump/bash something with something
    • to hit/strike the ground/floor/wall
  2. 2[transitive] bump something (against/on something) to hit something, especially a part of your body, against or on something Be careful not to bump your head on the beam when you stand up.
  3. 3[intransitive, transitive] to move across a rough surface + adv./prep. The jeep bumped along the dirt track. bump something + adv./prep. The car slowly bumped its way down the drive. She entered the subway, bumping her bags down the steps.
  4. 4[transitive] bump somebody + adv./prep. to move someone from one group or position to another; to remove someone from a group The airline apologized and bumped us up to first class. If you are bumped off an airline because of overbooking, you are entitled to compensation. The coach told him he had been bumped from the starting lineup.
    5. Phrasal Verbsbump intobump offbump upbump up against
See bump in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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