bump
/bʌmp/ (bre, ipa) · /bʌmp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbəmp/ (ame, mw)
bump — verb
1. to strike someone or something by accident with a sudden movement.
to strike someone or something by accident with a sudden movement.
Bao bumped into the kitchen table while carrying two soup bowls.
bump into + thing
The shopping cart bumped the glass door and made a loud bang.
bump + object
In the dark hallway, Omar bumped against a wet paint ladder.
A loose branch bumped the taxi roof during the storm.
文法句型
bump into + person/thing
bump against + surface
bump + object
用法筆記
Often describes an accidental hit with another person or thing. Distinguish from sense 2: here the object is the person or thing you contact, not the body part that gets hurt.
常見錯誤
2. to knock a body part on something hard so that it becomes painful.
to knock a body part on something hard so that it becomes painful.
Noa bumped her knee on the desk during the math test.
bump + body part + on
While climbing out, Tariq bumped his head on the bus roof.
The little boy bumped his elbow against the stone sink.
Rina bumped her ankle on a step and sat down.
文法句型
bump + body part + on + thing
bump + body part + against + thing
用法筆記
The direct object is usually the injured body part: head, knee, elbow, or ankle. Distinguish from sense 1, which focuses on the person or thing struck rather than the pain in your body.
常見錯誤
3. to move with repeated jolts over rough ground, especially in a vehicle.
to move with repeated jolts over rough ground, especially in a vehicle.
The old bus bumped along the mountain road after heavy rain.
bump along + road
Our jeep bumped over stones until the village school appeared.
bump over + rough ground
At dawn, the cart bumped across the dry field path.
The train bumped along slowly where the track was broken.
- glide
to move smoothly without jolts
文法句型
vehicle bump along
bump over + rough ground
bump across + path
用法筆記
Subject is usually a vehicle or something carrying people or goods. Common with route words such as 'road', 'track', 'path', and 'stones'.
常見錯誤
4. to force someone or something out of a place, rank, or turn so another person or
to force someone or something out of a place, rank, or turn so another person or thing can take it.
A later train bumped our meeting from noon to three.
bump + event + from ... to ...
The new captain bumped Jonas from the first team.
bump + person + from + group
Strong sales bumped the smaller brands off the front shelf.
One extra suitcase bumped my guitar case out of the taxi.
- keep
to leave someone or something in the same place
文法句型
bump + person + from + role/group
bump + thing + off/out of + place
用法筆記
Often takes the person or thing that loses its place as the object. Distinguish from sense 5, which is the airline-specific use for passengers and seats.
常見錯誤
5. to place an airline passenger on another flight or in another seat instead of th
to place an airline passenger on another flight or in another seat instead of the one originally booked.
The airline bumped Mei to a later flight after the storm.
bump + passenger + to + flight
At check-in, staff bumped two students into business class.
bump + passenger + into + class
Because the plane was full, the crew bumped Arun to tomorrow's flight.
We were bumped from row twelve to seats near the exit.
- confirm
to keep the passenger on the arranged flight or seat
文法句型
bump + passenger + to + flight
be bumped from + flight
bump + passenger + into + seat class
用法筆記
Frequently passive in travel contexts. The subject is usually an airline, airport staff, or overbooking situation, and the change is normally to a different flight or seat class.
常見錯誤
6. to reply to an old online post so it rises nearer the top and draws fresh attent
to reply to an old online post so it rises nearer the top and draws fresh attention.
Lior bumped the old forum post before the sale began.
bump + post
After six quiet months, someone bumped the thread with one photo.
A short 'still looking' message bumped the ad to page one.
The moderator warned users not to bump requests every hour.
文法句型
bump + thread/post
bump + thread + to the top
用法筆記
Common in forums, message boards, and classified posts. Distinguish from sense 7: here the thing that rises is the online post's position, not a price or number.
常見錯誤
7. to move an amount or level a little higher.
to move an amount or level a little higher.
The cafe bumped lunch prices by ten dollars this spring.
bump + price + by + amount
Cold weather bumped electricity use across the town last week.
A new tax bumped the ticket price above five hundred dollars.
The company bumped her pay after the safety course.
文法句型
bump + price/pay/rate
bump + amount + by + number
用法筆記
Object is usually a number, price, pay level, score, or other measurable amount. It often suggests a modest increase rather than a large jump.
常見錯誤
bump — noun
1. a small rounded area that sticks up from a surface or from your skin.
a small rounded area that sticks up from a surface or from your skin.
A red bump appeared on Leila's arm after the mosquito bite.
a bump on + body part
The road had a bump near the bridge where the ground sank.
a bump in the road
I felt a small bump under the paint on the wall.
After the fall, Yusuf had a bump above his left eye.
- dip
a low place instead of a raised one
文法句型
a bump on + body/surface
a bump in + road/wall
用法筆記
Used for raised places on skin, roads, walls, and other surfaces. Distinguish from noun 2, which is the sound of impact, and noun 3, which is the accident itself.
常見錯誤
2. a dull noise made when something falls or strikes the ground.
a dull noise made when something falls or strikes the ground.
We heard a bump upstairs after the cat jumped down.
hear a bump
A heavy bump came from the hallway near the shoe rack.
a bump from + place
Then a bump on the floor made the baby start crying.
One bump from the attic sent everyone to the stairs.
- silence
no sound at all
文法句型
hear a bump
a bump from + place
a bump on the floor
用法筆記
Often appears after verbs such as 'hear' or 'make'. The focus is the sound, not the object that caused it.
常見錯誤
3. a small car accident, usually one that causes little damage.
a small car accident, usually one that causes little damage.
The taxi had a bump with a scooter outside the station.
a bump with + vehicle
After a small bump in traffic, both drivers checked the lights.
after a bump
Police stopped after a bump at the corner near the bank.
There was a bump outside the mall, but nobody was hurt.
- collision
more formal and can describe accidents of any seriousness
- fender-bender
American informal term for a small traffic accident
- scrape
can suggest only light contact or slight damage
文法句型
a bump with + vehicle
have a bump
after a bump
用法筆記
This is mainly a British everyday way to describe a slight traffic accident. Distinguish from noun 2, which is only the sound, and from verb 1, which describes the act of contact.
常見錯誤
4. a slight increase in an amount, price, or level.
a slight increase in an amount, price, or level.
The store saw a bump in weekend sales after the radio ad.
a bump in + sales
There was a small bump in rent across the whole building.
a small bump in + amount
Warmer days brought a bump in ice cream orders.
The team expected a bump in scores after extra practice.
文法句型
a bump in + sales/prices/interest
see a bump in + amount
用法筆記
Usually followed by 'in' plus the thing that rises, such as sales, rent, prices, or interest. Distinguish from verb 7, which is the action of raising the amount.