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hump

- 7 dictionary results

hump

  [huhmp]
Use hump in a Sentence
–noun
1. a rounded protuberance, esp. a fleshy protuberance on the back, as that due to abnormal curvature of the spine in humans, or that normally present in certain animals, as the camel or bison.
2. Physical Geography.
a. a low, rounded rise of ground; hummock.
b. a mountain or mountain range.
3. Railroads. (in a switchyard) a raised area down which cars pushed to its crest roll by gravity and momentum for automatic sorting through a series of preset switches.
4. Slang: Vulgar.
a. an act or instance of coitus.
b. a partner in coitus.
5. the hump,
a. British Slang. a fit of depression or bad humor: to get the hump.
b. (initial capital letter) (in World War II) the Himalayas.
–verb (used with object)
6. to raise (the back) in a hump; hunch: The cat humped its back.
7. Railroads. to sort (cars) by means of a hump.
8. Informal. to exert (oneself) in a great effort.
9. Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse with.
10. Slang.
a. to place or bear on the back or shoulder.
b. to carry or haul.
c. to load or unload; lift.
–verb (used without object)
11. to rise in a hump.
12. Informal. to exert oneself; hustle or hurry.
13. Slang: Vulgar. to engage in sexual intercourse.
—Idiom
14. over the hump, past the most difficult, time-consuming, or dangerous part or period: The doctor says she's over the hump now and should improve steadily.
Origin:
1700–10; prob. abstracted from humpbacked

Related forms:
humper, noun
humpless, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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hump   (hŭmp)   
n.  
  1. A rounded mass or protuberance, such as the fleshy structure on the back of a camel or of some cattle.
  2. A deformity of the back in humans caused by an abnormal convex curvature of the upper spine.
  3. Vulgar Slang The act or an instance of having sexual intercourse.
    1. A low mound of earth; a hummock.
    2. A mountain range.
  5. Chiefly British A fit of depression; an emotional slump.
v.   humped, hump·ing, humps

v.   tr.
  1. To bend or round into a hump; arch.
  2. Slang
    1. To exert (oneself).
    2. To carry, especially on the back.
  3. Vulgar Slang To engage in sexual intercourse with.
v.   intr.
  1. Slang To exert oneself.
  2. Slang To hurry.
  3. Vulgar Slang To engage in sexual intercourse.

[Probably of Low German origin.]
humped (hŭmpt) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Hump

Hump\, n. [Cf. D. homp a lump, LG. hump heap, hill, stump, possibly akin to E. heap. Cf. Hunch.]

1. A protuberance; especially, the protuberance formed by a crooked back.

2. (Zo["o]l.) A fleshy protuberance on the back of an animal, as a camel or whale.

Hump

Hump\, v. t. 1. To form into a hump; to make hump-shaped; to hunch; -- often with up.

The cattle were very uncomfortable, standing humped up in the bushes. --T. Roosvelt.

2. To put or carry on the (humped) back; to shoulder; hence, to carry, in general. [Slang, Australia]

Having collected a sufficient quantity, we humped it out of the bush. --C. L. Money.

3. To bend or gather together for strenuous effort, as in running; to do or effect by such effort; to exert; -- usually reflexively or with it; as, you must hump yourself. [Slang, U. S.]

A half dozen other negroes, some limping and all scared, were humping it across a meadow. --McClure's Mag.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : hump
Spanish: joroba, giba,
German: der Buckel,
Japanese: こぶ
More Translations »

hump 
1681 (in hump-backed), from Du. homp "lump," from M.L.G. hump "bump," from P.Gmc. *khump-. Replaced, or perhaps influenced by, O.E. crump. A meaning attested from 1901 is "mound in a railway yard over which cars must be pushed," which may be behind the fig. sense of "critical point of an undertaking" (1914). The verb meaning "to do the sex act with" is attested from 1785, but the source of this indicates it is an older word. Humpback whale is from 1725.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: hump
Pronunciation: 'h&mp
Function: noun
: a rounded protuberance; especially : HUMPBACK
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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hump

see over the hump.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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