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Definition of bump verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

bump

verb
 
/bʌmp/
 
/bʌmp/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they bump
 
/bʌmp/
 
/bʌmp/
he / she / it bumps
 
/bʌmps/
 
/bʌmps/
past simple bumped
 
/bʌmpt/
 
/bʌmpt/
past participle bumped
 
/bʌmpt/
 
/bʌmpt/
-ing form bumping
 
/ˈbʌmpɪŋ/
 
/ˈbʌmpɪŋ/
Phrasal Verbs
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  1. [intransitive] to hit somebody/something by accident
    • bump into somebody/something In the dark I bumped into a chair.
    • bump against somebody/something The car bumped against the kerb.
    Synonyms hithitknock bang strike bump bashThese words all mean to come against something with a lot of force.hit to come against somebody/​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 somebody/​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 somebody/​something hard:
    • The ship struck a rock.
    bump to hit somebody/​something by accident:
    • In the darkness I bumped into a chair.
    bash (informal) to hit against something very hard:
    • I braked too late, bashing into the car in front.
    Patterns
    • to hit/​knock/​bang/​bump/​bash against somebody/​something
    • to knock/​bang/​bump/​bash into somebody/​something
    • to hit/​strike the ground/​floor/​wall
    Extra Examples
    • I bumped into the corner of a table as I left.
    • I ran after her, bumping against people in my rush.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • accidentally
    • gently
    • almost
    preposition
    • against
    • into
    • on
    See full entry
  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.
    Extra Examples
    • I bumped my head on the door frame.
    • She bumped her knee as she was climbing into the pool.
    • Their boat came up alongside, bumping the side of ours.
    • Toddlers are always falling over and bumping their heads.
    Topics Health problemsb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • accidentally
    • gently
    • almost
    preposition
    • against
    • into
    • on
    See full entry
  3. [intransitive, transitive] to move across a rough surface
    • + adv./prep. The jeep bumped along the dirt track.
    • bump something + adv./prep. The car bumped its way slowly down the drive.
    • She entered the subway, bumping her bags down the steps.
  4. [transitive] bump somebody + adv./prep. to move somebody from one group or position to another; to remove somebody 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 crew.
    Topics Transport by airc2
  5. Word Originmid 16th cent. (as a verb): imitative, perhaps of Scandinavian origin.
See bump in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
trait
noun
 
 
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