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   lump

   /lʌmp/

   noun

   • 1. a compact mass of a substance, especially one without a definite or regular shape: "there was a lump of ice floating in the milk" Similar chunkwedgehunkpiecemassblockslabcakenuggetballbrickcubedabpatknobcloddollopwadclumpclustermoundconcentrationbitsegmentportiongobbetinformal:gobglob
   • ▪ a swelling under the skin, especially one caused by injury or disease: "he was unhurt apart from a huge lump on his head" Similar swellingbumpbulgeprotuberanceprotrusiongrowthoutgrowthcarbunclehumptumourwenboilblisterwartcorneruptionnodecontusionrare:tumescence
   • ▪ a small cube of sugar.
   • ▪ a heavy, ungainly, or slow-witted person: informal, derogatory "I won't stand a chance against a big lump like you"
   • 2. the state of being self-employed and paid without deduction of tax, especially in the building industry: informal British "‘Working?’ ‘Only on the lump, here and there’"

   verb

   • 1. put in an indiscriminate mass or group; treat as alike without regard for particulars: "Hong Kong and Bangkok tend to be lumped together in holiday brochures"
   • ▪ (in taxonomy) classify plants or animals in relatively inclusive groups, disregarding minor variations: "many arguments are based on one side lumping and the other splitting"
   • 2. carry (a heavy load) somewhere with difficulty: British "the coalman had to lump one-hundredweight sacks right through the house"

   Word Origin Middle English: perhaps from a Germanic base meaning ‘shapeless piece’; compare with Danish lump ‘lump’, Norwegian and Swedish dialect lump ‘block, log’, and Dutch lomp ‘rag’.

   Scrabble Points: 8

   • L

     1

   • U

     1

   • M

     3

   • P

     3

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