I. ˈəmˌpī(ə)r, -pīə noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English umpere, oumpere, alteration (resulting from incorrect division of a noumpere ) of noumpere, from Middle French nomper, nonper not equal, not paired (i.e., a third person), from non- + per equal, even, from Latin par — more at pair
1. : one having authority to arbitrate and make a final decision: as
a.
(1) : an attorney at law appointed to judge a legal matter disputed by arbitrators
(2) : an impartial third party chosen by labor and management to arbitrate disputes arising under the terms of a labor agreement
b. : an official in a sport (as baseball or cricket) who rules on the plays
2. : a military officer who observes and evaluates training maneuvers
umpires rushed about to decide how this battle of blank ammunition was going — O.N.Bradley
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
: to supervise and decide in the capacity of umpire
differences have to be … umpired by the president — Anthony Leviero
can see … policemen umpiring the roughest games — Margaret Mead
intransitive verb
: to act in the capacity of umpire : arbitrate
appointed to umpire in the labor disputes
umpired for the California league — Darrell Berrigan