— jumpable , adj. — jumpingly , adv.
/jump/ , v.i.
1. to spring clear of the ground or other support by a sudden muscular effort; leap: to jump into the air; to jump out a window.
2. to rise suddenly or quickly: He jumped from his seat when she entered.
3. to move or jerk suddenly, as from surprise or shock: He jumped when the firecracker exploded.
4. to obey quickly and energetically; hustle: The waiter was told to jump when the captain signaled.
5. Informal. to be full of activity; bustle: The whole town is jumping with excitement.
6. to start a campaign, program, military attack, etc.; launch an activity, esp. of major proportions (usually fol. by off ): The march jumped off early in the morning.
7. Checkers. to move from one side of an opponent's piece to a vacant square on the opposite side, thus capturing the opponent's piece.
8. to rise suddenly in amount, price, etc.: Costs jumped again this quarter.
9. to pass abruptly, ignoring intervening steps or deliberation: to jump to a conclusion.
10. to change abruptly: The traffic light jumped from green to red.
11. to move or change suddenly, haphazardly, aimlessly, or after a short period: He jumped from job to job.
12. to pass or go aimlessly: He jumped from one thing to another without being able to concentrate on anything.
13. to omit letters, numbers, etc.; skip: This typewriter jumps and needs repairing.
14. to parachute from an airplane.
15. to take eagerly; seize (often fol. by at ): He jumped at the offer of a free trip.
16. to enter into something with vigor (usually fol. by in or into ): She jumped into the discussion right away.
17. to advance rapidly from one level to another, esp. in rank; pass through or skip intermediate stages in a forward or upward progression: He jumped from clerk to general manager in a year.
18. Motion Pictures. (of a shot or frame) to fail to line up properly with the preceding or following frames because of a mechanical fault in the camera or projector.
19. Bridge. to make a jump bid: She jumped from three clubs to four spades.
20. Journalism. (of newspaper copy) to continue on a subsequent page, following intervening copy (opposed to turn ).
v.t.
21. to leap or spring over: to jump a narrow stream.
22. to cause to leap: She jumped the horse over the fence.
23. to skip or pass over; bypass: to jump the third grade in school.
24. to elevate or advance, esp. in rank, by causing to skip or pass rapidly through intermediate stages: The boss jumped his son from mail clerk to plant manager.
25. to move past or start before (a signal); anticipate: One car jumped the red light and collided with a truck.
26. to increase sharply: The store jumped its prices.
27. Checkers. to capture (an opponent's piece) by leaping over.
28. to attack or pounce upon without warning, as from ambush: The thugs jumped him in a dark alley.
29. Bridge. to raise (the bid) by more than necessary to reach the next bidding level, esp. as a signal to one's partner.
30. Informal.
a. to abscond from; leave: The robbers jumped town.
b. to flee or escape from.
31. to seize or occupy illegally or forcibly (a mining claim or the like), as on the ground of some flaw in the holder's title.
32. (of trains, trolleys, etc.) to spring off or leave (the track).
33. to get on board (a train, bus, etc.) quickly or with little planning or preparation for the trip: He jumped a plane for Chicago.
34. Journalism. to continue (a story) from one page to another over intervening copy.
35. Metalworking. to thicken (a bar or the like) by striking the end; upset (often fol. by up ).
36. Slang ( vulgar ). to engage in an act of coitus with.
37. to connect (a dead battery) to a live battery by attaching booster cables between the respective terminals.
38. jump aboard or on board , to join a group, activity, etc., esp. one that has been operating or functioning for some time: After some hesitation, he jumped aboard and contributed heavily to the campaign.
39. jump all over someone , to reprimand; criticize: You don't have to jump all over me just because I'm a little late.
40. jump bail . See bail 1 (def. 5).
41. jump down someone's throat . See throat (def. 10).
42. jump in or into with both feet , to join or enter into exuberantly, eagerly, hastily, etc.
43. jump on , to blame or rebuke; reprimand: He'll jump on anyone who contradicts him.
44. jump ship . See ship (def. 5).
45. jump the gun . See gun 1 (def. 9).
n.
46. an act or instance of jumping; leap.
47. a space, obstacle, apparatus, or the like, cleared or to be cleared in a leap.
48. a short or hurried journey.
49. a descent by parachute from an airplane.
50. a sudden rise in amount, price, etc.: a considerable jump in the stock market.
51. a sudden upward or other movement of an inanimate object.
52. an abrupt transition from one point or thing to another, with omission of what intervenes: The speaker made an unexplained jump in topic.
53. a move or one of a series of moves: The gangster stayed one jump ahead of the police.
54. Sports. any of several contests that feature a leap or jump. Cf. broad jump, high jump .
55. Motion Pictures. a break in the continuity of action due to a failure to match the action of one frame with the following one of the same scene.
56. a sudden start as from nervous excitement: He gave a jump when the firecracker went off.
57. Checkers. the act of taking an opponent's piece by leaping over it to an unoccupied square.
58. the jumps , Informal. restlessness; nervousness; anxiety.
59. Also called breakover . Journalism. the part of a story continued on another page.
60. Math. the difference in limit values at a jump discontinuity of a given function.
61. Auto. jump-start (def. 1).
62. get or have the jump on , to get or have a head start or an initial advantage over: They got the jump on us in selling the item, but we finally caught up.
63. on the jump , in a hurry; running about: Lively youngsters keep their parents on the jump.
adj.
64. Jazz.
a. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of swing.
b. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of jazz; played at a bright tempo.
adv.
65. Obs. exactly; precisely.
[ 1505-15; cf. Dan gumpe to jolt, gimpe to move up and down, Sw gumpa, LG gumpen to jump ]
Syn. 1. JUMP, LEAP, VAULT imply propelling oneself by a muscular effort, either into the air or from one position or place to another. JUMP and LEAP are often used interchangeably, but JUMP indicates more particularly the springing movement of the feet in leaving the ground or support: to jump up and down. LEAP (which formerly also meant to run) indicates the passage, by a springing movement of the legs, from one point or position to another: to leap across a brook. VAULT implies leaping, esp. with the aid of the hands or some instrument, over or upon something: to vault ( over ) a fence.