lump

lump

lump¹ [lump]

n.

[ME lompe, lumpe, akin ? to Dan lompe, a mass, lump, Swed dial. lump, a block, stump, MHG lumpe, rag: see LIMP¹]

1. a solid mass of no special shape, esp. one small enough to be taken up in the hand; hunk

2.

a) a small cube or oblong piece

b) such a cube or piece made of sugar crystals bound together with sugar syrup

3. a swelling or protuberance, as one caused by a blow or formed by a tumor or cyst

4.

a) Obs. aggregate or collection

b) a great mass, amount, number, etc.

5. a dull, clodlike person

☆ 6. [pl.] Informal hard blows, punishment, criticism, or the like: usually in get (or take) one's lumps or give someone his (or her) lumps

adj.

forming or formed into a lump or lumps [lump sugar]

vt.

1. to put together in a lump or lumps

2. to treat or deal with in a mass, or include in one group

3. to make lumps in

vi.

1. to become lumpy

2. to move heavily and laboriously: usually with along

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in the lump

in the mass or aggregate; all together

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lump in one's throat

a tight feeling in the throat, as from restrained emotion

lump² [lump]

vt.

[Early ModE, to look sour < ? LUMP¹, but infl. by GRUMP, MUMP ]

☆ Informal to dislike and have to put up with (something disagreeable) [if you don't like it, you can lump it]