stump

noun

/stʌmp/

Idioms

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[countable] the bottom part of a tree left in the ground after the rest has fallen or been cut down
[countable] the end of something or the part that is left after the main part has been cut, broken off or worn away
- the stump of a pencil
Topics Plants and treesc2
[countable] the short part of somebody’s leg or arm that is left after the rest has been cut off
[countable, usually plural] (in cricket) one of the set of three wooden sticks (called the stumps) that stand in the ground and form the wicket
- The ball went past the batsman and hit the stumps.
Topics Sports: ball and racket sportsc2
usually the stump
[singular] (informal, especially North American English) the fact of a politician going to different places before an election and trying to get people’s support by making speeches
- on the stump politicians on the stump
- The senator gave his standard stump speech.

Word OriginMiddle English (denoting a part of a limb remaining after an amputation): from Middle Low German stump(e) or Middle Dutch stomp. The early sense of the verb was ‘stumble’.

Idioms

stir your stumps

(old-fashioned, British English, informal) to begin to move; to hurry

stump

verb

/stʌmp/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they stump	/stʌmp/ /stʌmp/
he / she / it stumps	/stʌmps/ /stʌmps/
past simple stumped	/stʌmpt/ /stʌmpt/
past participle stumped	/stʌmpt/ /stʌmpt/
-ing form stumping	/ˈstʌmpɪŋ/ /ˈstʌmpɪŋ/

Phrasal Verbs

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[transitive, usually passive] stump somebody (informal) to ask somebody a question that is too difficult for them to answer or give them a problem that they cannot solve synonym baffle
- I'm stumped. I don't know how they got here before us.
- Farmers are aware of the problem but are stumped by what to do about it.
Extra Examples
- At first I was stumped by the question.
- His condition has stumped experts throughout Europe and the US.
[intransitive] + adv./prep. to walk in a noisy, heavy way, especially because you are angry or upset synonym stomp
- He stumped off, muttering under his breath.
[intransitive, transitive] + adv./prep. | stump something (North American English) to travel around making political speeches, especially before an election
- He stumped (around) the country trying to build up support.
[transitive] stump somebody (in cricket) (of a wicketkeeper) to put a batsman out of the game by knocking off either of the bails (= the two pieces of wood that bridge the stumps) with the ball, when he or she is out of the area in which the ball can be hit, but not running

Word OriginMiddle English (denoting a part of a limb remaining after an amputation): from Middle Low German stump(e) or Middle Dutch stomp. The early sense of the verb was ‘stumble’.