Bump Sounds Like What It Describes
A bump is a light collision or a swelling. The word is imitative and has spread into several modern uses.
A bump is a light collision, the swelling it leaves, or a raised patch on a surface. The word is imitative, recorded from the 1560s: it names the sound of a dull knock and then everything associated with it — the impact, the lump, the noise. Modern uses keep multiplying: to *bump* a post is to push it back to the top of a forum, and to be *bumped* from a flight is to lose a seat because the airline oversold it.
- A light collision. *A bump in the car.*
- A swelling. *A bump on the head.*
- A raised patch. *A bump in the road.*
- To displace. *Bumped from the flight.*
- Imitative. *From the 1560s.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | bump | A bump. |
| Plural | bumps | Bumps. |
| Verb | bump | Bumped. |
| Adjective | bumpy | Bumpy. |
| Compound | bumper | A bumper. |
- The car went over a bump.Road.
- He had a bump on his forehead.Swelling.
- She was bumped from the flight.Displacement.
Newer senses of bump
- Bump a post — return it to the top of a forum
- Bumped from a flight — denied a seat on an oversold plane
- Fist bump — a greeting with knuckles
- Bump up — increase a figure
- Speed bump — a raised strip that slows traffic
Imitative, recorded from the 1560s, probably of Scandinavian origin.
What does bumping a post mean?
Adding a reply so the discussion returns to the top of a forum listing, usually to attract attention.
Why is a car's bumper called that?
Because it takes the bump. The part is named for the impact it absorbs.