bump
B1Informal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
A light blow or collision; a rounded protuberance on a surface.
Can refer to a minor impact, an increase or rise, a promotion, or a small swelling on the body. Also used in phrases indicating unexpected change.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word's core sense implies low force and often minor consequence. Its polysemy connects physical impact (verb/noun), change in state (increase), and bodily feature (lump).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'bump into' for meeting by chance is slightly more frequent. In American English, 'speed bump' is more common than British 'sleeping policeman'. The verb 'to bump' for promoting or moving someone to a better seat (e.g., 'bumped up to first class') is more established in US aviation context.
Connotations
Largely neutral in both, though 'bump' as a noun for a baby's 'baby bump' originated in US media and is now common in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in US English according to corpora, primarily due to broader idiomatic usage (e.g., 'bump stocks', 'bump up').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
bump [OBJECT]bump into [PERSON/OBJECT]bump [OBJECT] up/down/off [SOMETHING]bump against [OBJECT]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “bump into someone (meet by chance)”
- “bump off (slang: murder)”
- “bump up the volume”
- “bump along the bottom (stagnate at low level)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"Sales figures got a bump after the new campaign." (informal for increase)
Academic
Rare; used in physics for 'inelastic collision' or in demography for 'population bump'.
Everyday
"I felt a bump as the car went over the pothole." / "Did you bump into Sarah today?"
Technical
In audio: 'bump mapping' (3D graphics); in aviation: 'bumping' (denied boarding).
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- There's a nasty bump on the road just past the roundabout.
- She's starting to show a little baby bump.
American English
- We hit a speed bump doing twenty.
- The website got a huge traffic bump from the viral post.
verb
British English
- Mind you don't bump your head on the low beam.
- Fancy bumping into you in Tesco!
American English
- The flight was overbooked, so they bumped us to a later one.
- Let's bump up the thermostat a few degrees.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The child got a small bump on his knee from falling.
- Sorry, I didn't mean to bump you.
- I hope to bump into my old friend while I'm in London.
- Drive slowly—there are a lot of bumps in this road.
- Investors are hoping the new product launch will bump up the company's share price.
- He was bumped from the flight due to overbooking.
- The economy is just bumping along the bottom with no sign of recovery.
- The screenplay had a few narrative bumps that needed smoothing out.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a 'BUMP' sticker on a car's bumper – both relate to collisions.
Conceptual Metaphor
INCREASE IS UPWARD MOTION ('bump up prices'), CHANCE IS PHYSICAL COLLISION ('bump into'), OBSTACLES ARE PHYSICAL PROTRUSIONS ('road bump in a project').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not use 'bump' for 'beat' (бить). It's lighter. 'Bump into' is not 'crash into' (врезаться). For 'pimple/spot', use 'spot' or 'pimple', not 'bump' (which implies a swelling from impact).
Common Mistakes
- *I bumped my car strongly. (Use 'hard' or 'hard into', 'strongly' is unnatural).
- *He has a bump on his skin. (If it's a pimple, specify. 'Bump' is vague.)
- Confusing 'bump into' (accidental meeting) with 'run into' (which can also mean encounter problems).
Practice
Quiz
In which context does 'bump' mean 'to promote' or 'increase'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's primarily informal to neutral. In formal writing, synonyms like 'increase', 'collision', or 'protuberance' are preferred.
'Bump' suggests a lighter, often accidental impact with less force. 'Hit' is more general and can imply greater force or intention.
Yes, in contexts like 'bump up' (increase salary, volume) or 'baby bump' (happy pregnancy). 'Bump into someone' is also usually positive or neutral.
It means to post a comment to bring a thread back to the top of the list (from 'bump up').