From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishclumpclump1 /klʌmp/ noun 1 [countable]GROUP OF THINGS a group of trees, bushes, or other plants growing very close togetherclump of a thick clump of grassin a clump The roses were planted in clumps across the park.2 [countable + of] a small mass of something such as earth or mud3 [uncountable]WALK the sound of someone walking with heavy steps I heard the clump of Ralph’s boots going up the stairs.
Examples from the Corpus
clump• It was like the first part we had was in a clump and was brown.• By one of the legs is a clump of dust shaped like a sea lion with its head and neck raised.• Bright green lizards were scuttling over a clump of tree-roots twice as tall as Alan, and he was wide awake.• Crunching up the gravel drive past a clump of rhododendrons, she heard a scuffle in the undergrowth.• Grasses gradually increase and after 10 years the appearance is mainly one of grassland with scattered clumps of tall herbs.• Three lone boys finally started up his walk in a sullen clump, and the rest followed in a bigger clump.• An unwanted clump can be pulled up, and its roots and leaves dried for later use.clump of• a clump of daffodilsclumpclump2 verb 1 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]WALK to walk with slow noisy stepsclump up/down/along etc The kids clumped up the stairs in their boots.2 [intransitive, transitive] (also clump together) if separate objects clump together, or are clumped together, they form a group or solid mass Hair and soap had clumped together in the drain.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
clump• Humidity causes sugar to clump.• The walls are so thin we can hear the man next door clumping about all day.• This leads to a slightly bizarre and unconvincing fusion of musical forces which all end up clumped awkwardly together.• And those watching Forcibles swung their empty stares around the nearly deserted bar, then wheeled their tight formation and clumped out.• When you add vinegar to milk, the small solid pieces clump together and form larger solid pieces.• Galaxies, too, tend to clump together in clusters, which in turn may be parts of superclusters.• The three of us clumped up the steps in our heavy ski boots.clump up/down/along etc• He curses again over the microphone and clumps along the pavement towards us.• Their feet clumped down the stairs.Origin clump1 (1200-1300) Probably from Low German klump