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noun Stump n. 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.) on the stump campaigning for public office; running for election to office.
verb Stump v. t. (past & past part. stumped; pres. part. stumping) 1.To cut off a part of; to reduce to a stump; to lop. "Around the stumped top soft moss did grow." 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. (b)To bowl down the stumps of, as, of a wicket. "A herd of boys with clamor bowled, And stumped the wicket." To stump it. (a)To go afoot; hence, to run away; to escape. (Slang) (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.)
Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48
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