jump bid
C2Technical / Formal
Definition
Meaning
A bid in auctions (especially bridge) that skips one or more levels of the bidding scale to show a strong hand or disrupt opponents.
An aggressive increase in offer, price, or demand that significantly exceeds the previous level or expectation, often used in business negotiations or competitive contexts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
In bridge, a preemptive or strong tactical bid; in general business, denotes an aggressive, often surprising strategic move in bidding or negotiation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Identical in technical meaning. In bridge, more common in British commentaries; in business, slightly more frequent in American corporate jargon.
Connotations
Both: aggressive, decisive, potentially risky. British usage may retain stronger association with card games.
Frequency
Low frequency in general language; moderately common in specialist domains (auctions, bridge, M&A).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + jump bid + [on object] (e.g., He jump bid on the property)[Subject] + make + a jump bid + [in auction/negotiation]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “jump the bidding”
- “bid-jump strategy”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
During the takeover, the rival firm made a jump bid to scare off other competitors.
Academic
Game theory models often analyse the jump bid as a signalling device in auctions.
Everyday
At the charity auction, she surprised everyone with a jump bid on the painting.
Technical
South's 3♠ response was a jump bid showing at least 16 support points and four-card spade support.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He decided to jump bid to four hearts, showing his strong suit.
- Don't jump bid unless you're certain of your hand's strength.
American English
- She jump bid on the property, shocking other bidders.
- They advised against jump bidding in the early rounds.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- In the auction, his jump bid was very surprising.
- A jump bid can be a risky move.
- The contractor made a jump bid to secure the project ahead of rivals.
- A jump bid in bridge communicates specific information about your hand.
- Their jump bid strategy in the merger talks effectively neutralised the competition.
- Analysing the frequency of jump bids reveals a player's aggressive tendencies.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
JUMP BID = Just Unexpectedly Makes Price Blast Immediately Dramatically.
Conceptual Metaphor
BIDDING IS A RACE / WAR (jump ahead, aggressive manoeuvre, preemptive strike).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid calque 'прыгать ставка' – use 'резкое повышение ставки', 'сильный прыжок в торгах'.
- Do not confuse with 'bid jump' (неправильный порядок слов).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'jump bid' for any bid increase (must skip levels).
- Confusing with 'jump raise' (specific bridge term).
- Using as a verb without object (e.g., 'He jump bid' – needs context).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'jump bid' MOST specifically defined?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, by definition it is an aggressive move, either showing strength or aiming to disrupt opponents.
Yes, metaphorically in any competitive scenario where offers or positions are escalated dramatically (e.g., business, diplomacy).
A raise is any increase; a jump bid specifically skips over one or more logical bidding levels.
Primarily a compound noun ('make a jump bid'). Verb form 'to jump bid' is a zero-derived conversion from the noun, common in specialist use.