lumping
[lˈʌmpɪŋ] /ˈləmp How to pronounce lump (audio)/ (ame, mw)
lumping — verb
- lumpingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- lumpings3rd person singular
- lumpinging-ing form
- lumpingedpast simple
1. treating several different people, things, or ideas as if they were one kind, of
treating several different people, things, or ideas as if they were one kind, often without paying attention to important differences between them
Christopher complained that journalists keep lumping all teenagers together as lazy and rude.
pattern: lump + plural object + together
Talia warned the new manager against lumping junior staff with interns when handing out training budgets.
pattern: lump + group A + with + group B
The survey lumps every income above forty thousand pounds into a single bracket called 'high earners'.
Don't lump my grandmother with the other patients on the ward; her condition is very different.
History textbooks often lump several small wars together as one long conflict.
- distinguish
keep things mentally separate based on real differences
- separate
physically or logically split into groups
文法句型
lump + object + together
lump + object + with + other_group
lump + object + into + category
用法筆記
Frequently carries a negative tone: the speaker objects to the grouping because important distinctions are being ignored. Common subjects are media, surveys, classifications, or critics.
常見錯誤
2. becoming, or making something become, a soft mass with small thick pieces inside
becoming, or making something become, a soft mass with small thick pieces inside instead of staying smooth
If you add cold milk too fast, the flour will start lumping at the bottom of the pan.
intransitive: subject + lumps
Kofi whisked the gravy hard so it would not finish lumping while the meat rested.
continuous form for a slow change
The cocoa powder kept lumping up in the cold water, so Eve switched to warm milk.
Rin's protein shake kept lumping no matter how long the blender ran.
- smooth
as a verb: make a mixture even with no thick bits
文法句型
lump + object
object + lumps + (up)
用法筆記
Often appears as a present-continuous warning about cooking, mixing, or baking failures. Distinguish from sense 1 (grouping different things) — here the subject is one substance, not a set of items.
3. moving with heavy, loud, awkward steps, as if dragging the feet, so that other p
moving with heavy, loud, awkward steps, as if dragging the feet, so that other people in the room can hear it
Niran's older brother kept lumping around the kitchen at six in the morning, waking the whole flat.
lump + around + location
Anthony heard his neighbour lumping down the wooden stairs in heavy work boots.
lump + down + stairs path
Stop lumping through my study; I'm trying to record a podcast.
Elena could hear the cattle lumping across the wet field at first light.
- tiptoeing
moving quietly on the front of the feet
文法句型
lump + adverb of place
subject + lumps + around / down / through
用法筆記
Mostly American English and somewhat dated. Subject is typically a person, animal, or large group whose footsteps annoy or surprise a listener. Distinguish from sense 2 (forming lumps) — here lumping describes movement, not texture.
4. accepting something unpleasant because there is no real way to change it; used a
accepting something unpleasant because there is no real way to change it; used almost only in the fixed phrase 'like it or lump it'
Léa told her flatmates they could like it or lump it: the rent was going up on Monday.
fixed phrase: like it or lump it
The new school uniform is ugly, but the parents will have to lump it for another year.
lump + it (forced acceptance)
Amani knew the early shift would be hard, so she decided to lump it and bring extra coffee.
If you don't like the seat the airline gave you, you lump it; there is no refund.
- tolerate
neutral and formal; accept without complaining
- endure
stronger; usually for a hardship that lasts a long time
- put up with
everyday informal equivalent in any English variety
- reject
refuse to accept the situation
文法句型
like it or lump it
lump + it
用法筆記
Only sense that takes the pronoun 'it' as object. Most natural inside the set phrase 'like it or lump it', which means 'accept it whether you enjoy it or not'. Outside that frame the verb sounds very old-fashioned.
常見錯誤
lumping — noun
1. a soft chunk of something with no clear shape, such as cooked food, clay, or mod
a soft chunk of something with no clear shape, such as cooked food, clay, or modelling material
Rafael dropped a small lumping of butter into the hot pan before adding the eggs.
a lumping of + food noun
The child squashed her lumping of red clay flat with both hands.
named lumping of craft material
Shanti found a lumping of cold porridge stuck to the inside of the pot.
Kian rolled a lumping of dough between his palms before flattening it for the oven.
文法句型
a lumping of + uncountable noun
用法筆記
Subject or object is usually a soft food or modelling material. Distinguish from sense 2 (an unwell swelling) by what the lumping is made of — cooking ingredients or clay here, body tissue there.
2. a bump that grows on or inside the body, which doctors check because it can some
a bump that grows on or inside the body, which doctors check because it can sometimes be a sign of illness
Kasia booked an appointment after she found a small lumping under her left arm.
a lumping under + body part
The doctor said the lumping on Adaeze's neck was harmless but should still be watched.
a lumping on + body part
Tamás first noticed the lumping in his throat while drinking cold water.
Most lumpings in the breast turn out to be harmless tissue rather than serious illness.
文法句型
a lumping on / under + body part
a lumping in + body part
用法筆記
Almost always used with a preposition naming a body part. Distinguish from sense 1 (soft kitchen mass) — the medical sense always sits on or inside the body, never on a plate.
常見錯誤
3. a single total number you get by adding up many separate amounts, used most ofte
a single total number you get by adding up many separate amounts, used most often in money reports or statistics
Xiu's report gave the lumping of all donations in one column at the top of the page.
the lumping of + countable plural
The accountant asked for the lumping of last year's repairs, parts, and labour as a single line.
lumping of + cost categories
Looking at the lumping of votes from every district, the opposition party still came second.
The committee preferred to see the lumping of expenses, not a breakdown by team.
- breakdown
the same data shown split into separate parts
文法句型
the lumping of + plural noun
用法筆記
Subject is usually an institution, report, or accountant. Distinguish from sense 1 (kitchen blob) — here the lumping is an abstract total, not a physical object.
4. the largest share of something, leaving only a small amount for everything else
the largest share of something, leaving only a small amount for everything else
Yuna noticed that the lumping of her salary still went on rent every month.
the lumping of + income
The lumping of voters in this town support the same local party year after year.
the lumping of + people as voters
By midnight, the lumping of the wedding cake had already disappeared from the table.
Half the office took the day off, but the lumping of staff came in as usual.
- minority
the smaller part of a group
文法句型
the lumping of + plural / mass noun
用法筆記
Almost always introduced by 'the' and followed by 'of'. Distinguish from sense 3 (a total figure) — here we name the largest part of a whole, not the whole itself.
5. a slow, heavy person who looks awkward when they move and often seems a bit dull
a slow, heavy person who looks awkward when they move and often seems a bit dull-witted
His coach called him a great lumping who couldn't catch a ball if his life depended on it.
adjective + lumping (informal insult)
Don't be such a lumping at the front of the queue — step aside or order something.
term of address: a lumping
Christopher's older cousin was a polite but clumsy lumping who broke two glasses at every dinner.
Anthony felt like a lumping in the gym next to the trained dancers.
文法句型
a + adjective + lumping
用法筆記
Marked informal and slightly rude. Distinguish from sense 4 (the larger share) — this sense refers to a single human, not a quantity. Usually carries a teasing or affectionate tone rather than a cruel one.
6. a series of hard hits given as punishment, especially in a fight, often leaving
a series of hard hits given as punishment, especially in a fight, often leaving marks or bruises on the body
Léa's brother came home with a lumping after the fight outside the pub.
get + a lumping (be beaten)
The bouncer threatened to give the rude customer a lumping he would never forget.
give + somebody + a lumping
Rafael said the boxer had taken a real lumping in the final round but was still standing.
Older kids in that neighbourhood used to give the smaller ones a lumping for their pocket money.
文法句型
give + somebody + a lumping
get + a lumping
用法筆記
Mostly British informal. Subject of 'give' is the attacker; subject of 'get' or 'take' is the victim. Distinguish from sense 7 (losing a game) — here the beating is physical, not just metaphorical.
7. a clear and one-sided loss in a game, match, or vote, where one side scores much
a clear and one-sided loss in a game, match, or vote, where one side scores much higher than the other
The home team got a lumping from the visiting side, losing six goals to nothing.
get + a lumping (in sport)
Kofi predicted his party would give the other side a lumping in the council elections.
give + a lumping (in politics)
After the lumping in the regional final, the coach asked the players to train every Saturday.
Nobody expected such a lumping in the school chess tournament.
- win
as a noun: a victory, the opposite outcome
文法句型
give + somebody + a lumping
get + a lumping
用法筆記
Common in sports reporting and informal political talk. Distinguish from sense 6 (physical beating) — here the loss is a score, not bruises. The 'winner' subject takes 'give'; the loser takes 'get' or 'take'.
lumping — adjective
- lumpingpositive
- more lumpingcomparative
- most lumpingsuperlative
1. given as one whole quantity instead of being shared out in smaller separate part
given as one whole quantity instead of being shared out in smaller separate parts
Talia received the prize as a lumping payment instead of small amounts each year.
a lumping + payment (one-shot total)
The charity asked donors for a lumping sum to cover the whole new roof at once.
a lumping sum (single payment)
Niran's grandmother left her savings as a lumping gift to be split later by the family.
The court ordered a lumping settlement of forty thousand dollars to be paid within thirty days.
- instalment
as a modifier: paid in repeated smaller parts
文法句型
a lumping + uncountable noun
the lumping + sum / total
用法筆記
Used only before a noun, never after 'be'. Most natural in legal, financial, or charity writing. Almost interchangeable with 'lump sum' as a fixed phrase; outside that pattern it sounds old-fashioned.