stump
/stʌmp/ (bre, ipa) · /stʌmp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈstəmp/ (ame, mw)
stump — noun
- stumpsingular
- stumpsplural
1. the short piece that stays behind after most of something has been cut off, brok
the short piece that stays behind after most of something has been cut off, broken off, or worn away — used especially for the base of a tree that is still in the ground after the trunk has been cut down, but also for a tooth or a limb after the main part is gone
After the storm, the old oak tree was gone and only a low stump remained in the front yard.
tree stump after felling
The dentist showed Yuki the small stump of the tooth that was left after the filling fell out.
Wei sat on a tree stump near the river to tie his shoelaces before the hike.
After the accident, the doctors saved the arm but only a short stump remained below the elbow.
文法句型
a/the + stump + of + noun
用法筆記
Frequently used with a following 'of' phrase to specify what was reduced: 'the stump of a tree', 'the stump of a tooth'. When referring to tree stumps, this is by far the most common use of the word for everyday situations.
常見錯誤
2. one of the three upright wooden posts that are pushed into the ground to form th
one of the three upright wooden posts that are pushed into the ground to form the wicket in the sport of cricket — together with two smaller crosspieces called bails, the stumps make up the target that the bowler tries to hit with the ball
The bowler aimed carefully at the middle stump and sent the ball flying at high speed.
Ananya watched as the wicket-keeper knocked the bails off the stumps with a brilliant piece of fielding.
bails off the stumps
The batter defended the stumps by blocking the ball with the flat face of the bat.
Diego replaced the fallen stump after it was knocked over by a powerful throw from the boundary.
文法句型
the + stumps
stump + verb
用法筆記
In cricket, the three stumps have specific names: the off stump (closest to the batter's body), the leg stump (farthest from the batter), and the middle stump (between them). The term is almost always used in the plural ('stumps') unless describing an individual post being hit.
3. the moment in a cricket match when the umpire decides that play has finished for
the moment in a cricket match when the umpire decides that play has finished for the day, signalled by removing the stumps from the ground; the word 'stumps' used on its own means that the day's game is over
The umpire called stumps at half past six, and the players walked off the field together.
call stumps
With the home team on 245 runs for three wickets, the captain agreed to draw stumps for the day.
draw stumps
Heavy rain forced an early stumps, and the match will continue tomorrow morning.
The crowd cheered when the umpire pulled the stumps to signal the end of the day's play.
文法句型
call + stumps
draw + stumps
at + stumps
用法筆記
This sense is used without an article — 'stumps' alone means the end of play. The common verb phrases are 'call stumps' (the umpire declares the end) and 'draw stumps' (the teams agree to stop). It always refers to the day's play being over, not the whole match.
4. a raised platform, event, or public occasion used by a politician to make speech
a raised platform, event, or public occasion used by a politician to make speeches and try to persuade people to vote for them, especially during an election campaign
The candidate took to the stump in the town square to share her plans for the new school.
take to the stump
Fatima heard the senator speak from the stump at the county fair last weekend.
speak from the stump
The governor spent the whole month on the stump, visiting every small town in the state.
From the stump, the mayor promised to lower taxes and repair the damaged roads.
文法句型
on the stump
take to the stump
用法筆記
This sense comes from the American frontier practice of using a freshly cut tree stump as an impromptu platform for public speaking. The phrase 'on the stump' is a fixed expression meaning actively campaigning. In British English, 'on the stump' is understood but less common than 'on the campaign trail'.
常見錯誤
stump — verb
- stumppresent simple I / you / we / they
- stumps3rd person singular
- stumping-ing form
- stumpedpast simple
1. to cause someone to feel so confused that they cannot answer a question, solve a
to cause someone to feel so confused that they cannot answer a question, solve a problem, or explain something — as if they have hit an obstacle they cannot get past
The teacher's unexpected question about black holes completely stumped Theo.
Zanele was stumped by the last crossword clue and had to ask her brother for help.
passive: be stumped by
The final math problem on the test stumped nearly every student in the room.
When the reporter asked about the missing funds, the director looked stumped and did not reply.
The detective was stumped by the case until a new witness came forward two days later.
- baffle
slightly stronger, suggesting total, frustrating confusion
- perplex
more formal; suggests puzzled uncertainty rather than being stopped cold
- puzzle
less intense; suggests curiosity and a desire to figure something out
- confuse
broader and more general; can also mean to mix up or mistake one thing for another
文法句型
stump + noun/pronoun
be stumped by + noun
leave + noun + stumped
用法筆記
This is the only sense of 'stump' that is commonly used in the passive form: 'I'm stumped' is far more frequent than 'That stumps me'. Unlike 'confuse' which can be intransitive ('I confuse easily'), 'stump' in this sense is always transitive and requires an object or passive construction. Cannot be used in progressive tenses — say 'This stumps me' not 'This is stumping me' (though the latter appears informally).
常見錯誤
2. to walk with heavy, noisy steps, often because you are angry, annoyed, or determ
to walk with heavy, noisy steps, often because you are angry, annoyed, or determined — putting your feet down firmly each time you step
Olga stumped upstairs in her winter boots, making the whole house shake.
stump + adverb (upstairs)
The little boy stumped across the room in his father's oversized boots.
stump across
After losing the argument, Javier stumped out of the kitchen and slammed the door behind him.
Lars heard his neighbour stumping around in the flat above late at night.
文法句型
stump + adverb/preposition
stump + across/around/out/up
用法筆記
'Stump' as a verb of walking is less common than 'stomp' in American English but is used in British, Australian, and New Zealand English. The word usually appears with a following adverb of direction ('stump out', 'stump upstairs') or a prepositional phrase ('stump across the room'). The 'stomp' spelling is preferred in most formal writing, but both describe the same heavy-footed motion.
常見錯誤
3. to travel from place to place making speeches and meeting people in order to win
to travel from place to place making speeches and meeting people in order to win their votes for a political candidate or gain support for a particular cause
The presidential candidate stumped through three midwestern states in a single weekend.
stump through + place
Amara's environmental group stumped across the region asking people to sign their clean-water petition.
For two months before the election, the senator stumped tirelessly from one town hall meeting to the next.
The candidate stumped the entire district, shaking hands with workers at factories and parents at school gates.
- campaign
the standard, neutral term; 'stump' is more vivid and suggests the physical travel and public speaking
- canvass
specifically means going door-to-door to ask for votes or opinions; quieter and more personal
- electioneer
formal and less common; describes any activity aimed at gaining electoral support
文法句型
stump + noun (region/state)
stump for + noun (candidate/cause)
stump through + noun
用法筆記
Derived from the noun sense 'stump' meaning a campaign platform (sense 4 above): standing 'on the stump' led to the verb meaning 'to go from stump to stump giving speeches'. The transitive form ('stump the state') is less common than the intransitive ('stump through the state'). This usage is strongly associated with American political campaigns.
常見錯誤
4. (in cricket) to end a batter's turn by knocking the two small crosspieces (the b
(in cricket) to end a batter's turn by knocking the two small crosspieces (the bails) off the top of the three upright posts (the stumps) with the ball while the batter has moved outside the safe area in front of the wicket
The wicket-keeper stumped the batter on the very last ball of the over.
wicket-keeper stumps batter
Kenji was stumped just one run short of his half-century, much to his disappointment.
passive: was stumped
The bowler celebrated wildly after the opening batter was stumped by a quick piece of wicket-keeping.
The crowd gasped as the wicket-keeper stumped the best batter on the opposing team with a clean movement.
文法句型
stump + noun (batter)
be stumped
get stumped + by + noun
用法筆記
This is a technical cricket term used in the passive form ('was stumped') almost as often as the active. In cricket scoring, the dismissal is recorded as 'st [wicket-keeper's name] b [bowler's name]'. Unlike a 'run out', being 'stumped' means the wicket-keeper alone removed the bails — the bowler did not need to throw the ball at the stumps themselves.
5. to dig up or grind away the tree stumps from a piece of land so that it can be u
to dig up or grind away the tree stumps from a piece of land so that it can be used for farming, building, or planting new crops
Before planting the new orchard, the family spent two weeks stumping the old field.
stumping + field (gerund form)
The construction crew stumped the land where the new supermarket would be built.
Ibrahim hired a team to stump the back garden and level the ground for a patio.
Farmers in the area spent generations stumping the forest to create open farmland.
文法句型
stump + noun (land/field)
用法筆記
This is the least common verb sense and is used almost exclusively in farming, forestry, and construction contexts. 'Stump' in this sense is always followed by the area of land being cleared, not by the stumps themselves — 'stump the field' means to clear the field of stumps, not to clear the stumps themselves.