stump Definition

stump¹
noun

1. The part of a felled or fallen tree that is left in the ground.
2. The short part of anything, eg a limb, that is left after the larger part has been removed, used up, etc.

Example: a little stump of a pencil
3a. cricket.
Any of the three thin vertical wooden posts that form the wicket;
3b. cricket.
The whole wicket, including the bails.
Form: stumps
4. jocular
A leg.
5a. A stumping walk;
5b. The noise made by a stumping walk.
6. A tree stump or other platform that is used by someone giving a political speech.

verb stumped, stumping

1. To baffle or perplex.

Thesaurus: baffle, bewilder, confound, mystify, nonplus, perplex, puzzle, flummox, stymie.
intr
2. To walk stiffly and unsteadily, or heavily and noisily.
3. cricket.
Said of a fielder, especially a wicketkeeper: to dismiss (a batsman or batswoman) by disturbing the wicket with the ball while they are away from the crease.
4. To reduce to a stump.
5. To clear (land) of tree stumps.
(N Amer, especially US)
intr
6. To go round making political speeches.

Derivative: stumper
noun

Idiom: draw stumps

To bring a match to an end.

To finish something.

Idiom: on the stumps

( Amer, especially US)
Busy with political campaigning, especially by going round delivering speeches.

Idiom: stir one's stumps

To start moving, especially after a period of inactivity.

Etymology: 14c: from stumpen to stumble.

Phrasal Verb: stump up

To pay.

---

stump²
noun

1. A piece of cork or a roll of paper, leather, etc that is pointed at both ends and which is used for blurring chalk, charcoal, etc lines in order to achieve tonal gradations. Also called tortillon.

verb

stumped, stumping
1. To use a stump to produce gradations of tone.

Etymology: 18c.