bump

Universal Words verb, noun verb 1 [V] ~ against / into sb/sth to hit sb/sth accidentally: In the dark I bumped into a chair. * The car bumped against the kerb. 2 [VN] ~ sth (against / on sth) to hit sth, especially a part of your body, against or on sth: Be careful not to bump your head on the beam when you stand up. 3 [+adv./prep.] to move across a rough surface: [V] The jeep bumped along the dirt track. * [VN] The car bumped its way slowly down the drive. * She entered the subway, bumping her bags down the steps. PHRASALVERBS bump into sb (informal) to meet sb by chance: I bumped into Simon this morning. bump sb<->off (informal) to murder sb bump sth<->up (informal) to increase or raise sth: They bump up their prices in the summer months. * We've bumped up the connection speed to make downloading much faster. noun 1 [C] the action or sound of sth hitting a hard surface: He fell to the ground with a bump. * We could hear loud bumps from upstairs where the children were playing. 2 [C] a swelling on the body, often caused by a blow SYNLUMP: She was covered in bumps and bruises. * How did you get that bump on your forehead? 3 [C] a part of a flat surface that is not even, but raised above the rest of it: a bump in the road seealsoBUMPY 4 [C] a slight accident in which your vehicle hits sth: I had a bump in the car earlier, but it wasn't serious. 5 (the bumps) [pl.] (BrE) (on a child's birthday) the act of lifting the child in the air and then putting them down on the ground, once for every year of their age: We gave her the bumps. IDIOMS see EARTHn., THING