/ stʌmp; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] the bottom part of a tree left in the ground after the rest has fallen or been cut down
2.
[ C ] the end of sth or the part that is left after the main part has been cut, broken off or worn away :
the stump of a pencil
3.
[ C ] the short part of sb's leg or arm that is left after the rest has been cut off
4.
[ C , usually pl. ] ( in cricket ) one of the set of three vertical wooden sticks (called the stumps ) that form the wicket
5.
the stump [ sing. ] ( informal , especially NAmE ) the fact of a politician before an election going to different places and trying to get people's support by making speeches :
The senator gave his standard stump speech.
politicians on the stump
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IDIOMS
see stir verb
■ verb
1.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] ( informal ) to ask sb a question that is too difficult for them to answer or give them a problem that they cannot solve
SYN baffle :
I'm stumped. I don't know how they got here before us.
Kate was stumped for words (= unable to answer) .
2.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to walk in a noisy, heavy way, especially because you are angry or upset
SYN stomp :
He stumped off, muttering under his breath.
3.
( NAmE ) to travel around making political speeches, especially before an election :
[ v + adv. / prep. ]
He stumped around the country trying to build up support.
[also vn ]
4.
[ vn ] ( in cricket ) to put a batsman out of the game by touching the stumps with the ball when he or she is out of the area in which the ball can be hit
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PHRASAL VERBS
- stump up (for sth) | stump up sth (for sth)
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (denoting a part of a limb remaining after an amputation): from Middle Low German stump(e) or Middle Dutch stomp . The early sense of the verb was stumble .