jump

Universal Words verb, noun verb move off / to ground 1 to move quickly off the ground or away from a surface by pushing yourself with your legs and feet: [V] to jump into the air / over a wall / into the water * 'Quick, jump!' he shouted. * The children were jumping up and down with excitement. * She jumped down from the chair. * The pilot jumped from the burning plane (= with a PARACHUTE). * [VN] She has jumped 2.2 metres. pass over sth 2 [VN] to pass over sth by jumping: Can you jump that gate? * His horse fell as it jumped the last hurdle. * I jumped my horse over all the fences. move quickly 3 [V+adv./prep.] to move quickly and suddenly: He jumped to his feet when they called his name. * She jumped up and ran out of the room. * Do you want a ride? Jump in. 4 [V] to make a sudden movement because of surprise, fear or excitement: A loud bang made me jump. * Her heart jumped when she heard the news. increase 5 [V] to rise suddenly by a large amount: Prices jumped by 60% last year. * Sales jumped from $2.7 billion to $3.5 billion. change suddenly 6 [V] ~ (about) (from sth to sth) to change suddenly from one subject to another: I couldn't follow the talk because he kept jumping about from one topic to another. * The story then jumps from her childhood in New York to her first visit to London. leave out 7 [VN] to leave out sth and pass to a further point or stage: You seem to have jumped several steps in the argument. of machine / device 8 [V] to move suddenly and unexpectedly, especially out of the correct position: The needle jumped across the dial. * The film jumped during projection. attack 9 ~ (on) sb (informal) to attack sb suddenly: [VN] The thieves jumped him in a dark alleyway. [also V] vehicle 10 [VN] (AmE) to get on a vehicle very quickly: to jump a bus 11 [VN] (AmE) = JUMP-START be lively 12 (be jumping) (informal) to be very lively: The bar's jumping tonight. IDIOMS jump down sb's throat (informal) to react very angrily to sb jump the gun to do sth too soon, before the right time jump the lights (informal) to fail to stop at a red traffic light jump out of your skin (informal) to move violently because of a sudden shock jump the queue (BrE) (AmE jump the line) to go to the front of a line of people without waiting for your turn jump the rails (of a train) to leave the rails suddenly jump ship 1 to leave the ship on which you are serving, without permission 2 to leave an organization that you belong to, suddenly and unexpectedly jump through hoops to do sth difficult or complicated in order to achieve sth jump to it (AmE also hop to it) (informal) used to tell sb to hurry and do something quickly moreatBANDWAGON, CONCLUSION, DEEPadj. PHRASALVERBS jump at sth to enthusiastically accept an opportunity, offer, etc. jump in 1 to interrupt a conversation: Before she could reply Peter jumped in with an objection. 2 to start to do sth very quickly without spending a long time thinking first jump on sb (AmE also jump at sb) (informal) to criticize sb/sth jump out at sb to be very obvious and easily noticed: The mistake in the figures jumped out at me. noun movement 1 an act of jumping: a jump of over six metres * The story takes a jump back in time. * Somehow he survived the jump from the third floor of the building. * to make / do a parachute jump * a ski jump champion * I sat up with a jump (= quickly and suddenly). * The negotiations took a jump forward yesterday (= they made progress). seealsoHIGHJUMP, LONGJUMP, SKIJUMP, TRIPLEJUMP barrier 2 a barrier like a narrow fence that a horse or a runner has to jump over in a race or competition: The horse fell at the last jump. increase 3 ~ (in sth) a sudden increase in amount, price or value: a 20 per cent jump in pre-tax profits * unusually large price jumps IDIOMS to keep, etc. one jump ahead (of sb) to keep your advantage over sb, especially your competitors, by taking action before they do or by making sure you know more than they do moreatRUNNINGadj., HIGHJUMP