bump

Definition

A light blow or jolting collision.

Etymology

From Early Modern English bump (“a shock, blow from a collision”), probably of North Germanic origin; compare Danish bump (“a thump”), Danish bumpe (“to thump”), Old Danish bumpe (“to strike with a clenched fist”), all probably of imitative origin. Apparently related to Middle English bumben, bummen (“to make a hollow noise”), Dutch bommen (“to hum, buzz”), German Low German bumsen (“to bump, push”), German bummen (“to hum, buzz”), Icelandic bumba (“drum”). More at bum, bumble. Compare also bomb.

Example Sentences

• "His car had a tiny bump with a moving bus."
• "He heard a loud bump and saw the front part of his car was broken and the driver of the other car was running to apologise."
• "It had upon its brow / A bump as big as a young cockerel's stone."