rum·pus

[ruhm-puhs]
noun, plural rum·pus·es.
1.
a noisy or violent disturbance; commotion; uproar: There was a terrible rumpus going on upstairs.
2.
a heated controversy: a rumpus over the school-bond issue.

Origin:
1755–65; origin uncertain

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary
rumpus (ˈrʌmpəs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n , pl -puses
a noisy, confused, or disruptive commotion
 
[C18: of unknown origin]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
Rumpus is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

rumpus
1764, of unknown origin, possibly an alteration of robustious "boisterous, noisy" (1548; see robust). First record of rumpus room is from 1940.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary

rumpus definition

[ˈrəmpəs]
  1. n.
    a commotion. : Please don't make such a rumpus.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Example sentences
Whether the rumpus will change much at the papers is doubtful.
There's been a prolonged rumpus over the question of genetic patents.
However, the rumpus highlights underlying changes in the relationship.
Probably not, because he may yet benefit from the rumpus.
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