From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbumpbump1 /bʌmp/ ●●● S3 verb 1 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive]HIT/BUMP INTO to hit or knock against somethingbump against I ran after him, bumping against people in my hurry.bump into Tim was a clumsy boy, always bumping into the furniture.bump something on something She bumped her arm on the table. The roof was so low he bumped his head (=his head hit the roof).► see thesaurus at hit2 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]MOVE/CHANGE POSITION to move up and down as you move forward, especially in a vehicle A police car bumped down the track.bump along The plane was bumping along the runway.3 [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to push or pull something somewhere in an irregular or unsteady way Flora was bumping her bags down the steps.4 [transitive] informal to move someone or something into a different class or group, or to remove them from a class or group altogether The flight was overbooked, and Dad was the first one to be bumped.bump somebody up to/out of/from etc something The reforms bumped many families off the state-provided health care list.5 [transitive] to move a radio or television programme to a different time ‘Married with Children’ will be bumped from Sundays to Saturdays. → bump into somebody → bump somebody ↔ off → bump something ↔ up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
bump• I run after her, bumping against people in my rush.• His right leg bumped against the parking brake.• But here I am stuck now and can't go out in case I bump into her.• This does not mean you have to excuse a child who hits another child who accidentally bumped into him.• Luckily, as they returned to Cockroach, Wednesday's dormitory, they bumped into Matron who was fixing her motorbike.• I bumped into porters carrying baskets on their shoulders.• On my way out of the compound one morning, I bumped into Sara.• He had a curious knock-kneed kind of walk that seemed to send him bumping into things all the time.• Babies are always bumping their heads.bumped ... head• I waited ten more minutes, then raised the latch and eased the door open until it bumped against his head.• Chris bumped his head again while snorkelling and now has rather an impressive bandage!• She tried to get up on all fours, and bumped her head on the underside of the bed.• I bumped my head, that's all.• Getting up from rummaging in the wastepaper basket, she bumped her head, very lightly, on the sink.bumpbump2 ●●○ noun [countable] 1 MIan area of skin that is raised because you have hit it on something → lump She has a bump on the back of her head. He had a few injuries, mostly bumps and bruises.► see thesaurus at injury2 STICK OUTa small raised area on a surface The car hit a bump on the road. → speed bump3 CSOUNDthe sound or sudden movement of something hitting a hard surface We heard a bump in the next room.fall/sit down etc with a bump Rose fell, landing with a bump.4 informalACCIDENT a small accident in which your car hits something but you are not hurtExamples from the Corpus
bump• Further discussion is cut short by a bump that interposes a few bodies between us.• I was backing up when I felt a bump.• Had she driven over a bump in the road too violently?• I nearly stumbled over a bump in the ground.• The car rattled every time it went over a bump.• Martin sat down suddenly with a bump.• a bump in the road• Anderson wound up taking him to the hospital, where Smyth was treated for a sprained ankle and bumps and bruises.• At night, the old house seemed to be full of strange creaks and bumps.• The sound of the rain made me cold, brought up goose bumps.• This method is particularly suitable for removing minor bumps in the landscape, the new level blending naturally in with the surroundings.• A small bump had started to develop over Irene's eye.Origin bump1 (1500-1600) From the sound 