Part 890

Stum"bler (?), n. One who stumbles.

Stum"bling-block` (?), n. Any cause of stumbling, perplexity, or error.

We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness.

1 Cor. i. 23.

Stum"bling*ly (?), adv. In a stumbling manner.

Stum"bling-stone` (?), n. A stumbling-block.

This stumbling-stone we hope to take away.

T. Burnet.

Stump (?), n. [OE. stumpe, stompe; akin to D. stomp, G. stumpf, Icel. stumpr, Dan. & Sw. stump, and perhaps also to E. stamp.] 1. The part of a tree or plant remaining in the earth after the stem or trunk is cut off; the stub.

2. The part of a limb or other body remaining after a part is amputated or destroyed; a fixed or rooted remnant; a stub; as, the stump of a leg, a finger, a tooth, or a broom.

3. pl. The legs; as, to stir one's stumps. [Slang]

4. (Cricket) One of the three pointed rods stuck in the ground to form a wicket and support the bails.

5. A short, thick roll of leather or paper, cut to a point, or any similar implement, used to rub down the lines of a crayon or pencil drawing, in shading it, or for shading drawings by producing tints and gradations from crayon, etc., in powder.

6. A pin in a tumbler lock which forms an obstruction to throwing the bolt, except when the gates of the tumblers are properly arranged, as by the key; a fence; also, a pin or projection in a lock to form a guide for a movable piece.

Leg stump (Cricket), the stump nearest to the batsman. -- Off stump (Cricket), the stump farthest from the batsman. -- Stump tracery (Arch.), a term used to describe late German Gothic tracery, in which the molded bar seems to pass through itself in its convolutions, and is then cut off short, so that a section of the molding is seen at the end of each similar stump. -- To go on the stump, or To take the stump, to engage in making public addresses for electioneering purposes; -- a phrase derived from the practice of using a stump for a speaker's platform in newly-settled districts. Hence also the phrases stump orator, stump speaker, stump speech, stump oratory, etc. [Colloq. U.S.]

Stump, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stumped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Stumping.] 1. To cut off a part of; to reduce to a stump; to lop.

Around the stumped top soft moss did grow.

Dr. H. More.

2. To strike, as the toes, against a stone or something fixed; to stub. [Colloq.]

3. To challenge; also, to nonplus. [Colloq.]

4. To travel over, delivering speeches for electioneering purposes; as, to stump a State, or a district. See To go on the stump, under Stump, n. [Colloq. U.S.]

5. (Cricket) (a) To put (a batsman) out of play by knocking off the bail, or knocking down the stumps of the wicket he is defending while he is off his allotted ground; -- sometimes with out. T. Hughes. (b) To bowl down the stumps of, as, of a wicket.

A herd of boys with clamor bowled, And stumped the wicket.

Tennyson.

To stump it. (a) To go afoot; hence, to run away; to escape. [Slang] Ld. Lytton. (b) To make electioneering speeches. [Colloq. U.S.]

Stump, v. i. To walk clumsily, as if on stumps.

To stump up, to pay cash. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Stump"age (?), n. 1. Timber in standing trees, -- often sold without the land at a fixed price per tree or per stump, the stumps being counted when the land is cleared. [Local, U.S.]