Part 866

Bump (&?;), n. [From Bump to strike, to thump.] 1. A thump; a heavy blow.

2. A swelling or prominence, resulting from a bump or blow; a protuberance.

It had upon its brow A bump as big as a young cockerel's stone. Shak.

3. (Phren.) One of the protuberances on the cranium which are associated with distinct faculties or affections of the mind; as, the bump of "veneration;" the bump of "acquisitiveness." [Colloq.]

4. The act of striking the stern of the boat in advance with the prow of the boat following. [Eng.]

Bump, v. i. [See Boom to roar.] To make a loud, heavy, or hollow noise, as the bittern; to boom.

As a bittern bumps within a reed. Dryden.

Bump, n. The noise made by the bittern.

Bum"per (&?;), n. [A corruption of bumbard, bombard, a large drinking vessel.] 1. A cup or glass filled to the brim, or till the liquor runs over, particularly in drinking a health or toast.

He frothed his bumpers to the brim. Tennyson.

2. A covered house at a theater, etc., in honor of some favorite performer.

Bump"er (&?;), n. 1. That which bumps or causes a bump.

2. Anything which resists or deadens a bump or shock; a buffer.

Bump"kin (&?;), n. [The same word as bumkin, which Cotgrave defines thus: "Bumkin, Fr. chicambault, the luffe-block, a long and thick piece of wood, whereunto the fore-sayle and sprit-sayle are fastened, when a ship goes by the winde." Hence, a clumsy man may easily have been compared to such a block of wood; cf. OD. boomken a little tree. See Boom a pole.] An awkward, heavy country fellow; a clown; a country lout. "Bashful country bumpkins." W. Irving.

Bump"tious (&?;), a. Self-conceited; forward; pushing. [Colloq.] Halliwell.

Bump"tious*ness, n. Conceitedness. [Colloq.]

{ Bun, Bunn } (&?;), n. [Scot. bun, bunn, OE. bunne, bonne; fr. Celtic; cf. Ir. bunna, Gael. bonnach, or OF. bugne tumor, Prov. F. bugne a kind of pancake; akin to OHG. bungo bulb, MHG. bunge, Prov. E. bung heap, cluster, bunny a small swelling.] A slightly sweetened raised cake or bisquit with a glazing of sugar and milk on the top crust.

Bunch (&?;), n. [Akin to OSw. & Dan. bunke heap, Icel. bunki heap, pile, bunga tumor, protuberance; cf. W. pwng cluster. Cf. Bunk.] 1. A protuberance; a hunch; a knob or lump; a hump.

They will carry . . . their treasures upon the bunches of camels. Isa. xxx. 6.

2. A collection, cluster, or tuft, properly of things of the same kind, growing or fastened together; as, a bunch of grapes; a bunch of keys.

3. (Mining) A small isolated mass of ore, as distinguished from a continuous vein. Page.

Bunch, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bunched (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Bunching.] To swell out into a bunch or protuberance; to be protuberant or round.

Bunching out into a large round knob at one end. Woodward.

Bunch, v. t. To form into a bunch or bunches.

Bunch"-backed` (&?;), a. Having a bunch on the back; crooked. "Bunch-backed toad." Shak.

Bunch"ber`ry (&?;), n. (Bot.) The dwarf cornel (Cornus Canadensis), which bears a dense cluster of bright red, edible berries.

Bunch" grass` (&?;). (Bot.) A grass growing in bunches and affording pasture. In California, Atropis tenuifolia, Festuca scabrella, and several kinds of Stipa are favorite bunch grasses. In Utah, Eriocoma cuspidata is a good bunch grass.

Bunch"i*ness (&?;), n. The quality or condition of being bunchy; knobbiness.