n., v., & adv.
--n.
1. a dull-sounding blow or collision.
2 a swelling or dent caused by this.
3 an uneven patch on a road, field, etc.
4 Phrenol. any of various prominences on the skull thought to indicate different mental faculties.
5 (in narrow-river races where boats make a spaced start one behind another) the point at which a boat begins to overtake (and usu. touches) the boat ahead, thereby defeating it.
6 Aeron. a an irregularity in an aircraft's motion. b a rising air current causing this.
--v.
1. a tr. hit or come against with a bump. b intr. (of two objects) collide.
2 intr. (foll. by against, into) hit with a bump; collide with.
3 tr. (often foll. by against, on) hurt or damage by striking (bumped my head on the ceiling; bumped the car while parking).
4 intr. (usu. foll. by along) move or travel with much jolting (we bumped along the road).
5 tr. (in a boat-race) gain a bump against.
6 tr. US displace, esp. by seniority.
--adv. with a bump; suddenly; violently.
Phrases and idioms:
bump into colloq. meet by chance. bump off sl. murder. bump up colloq. increase (prices etc.).
Etymology: 16th c., imit.: perh. f. Scand.