bump (redirected from bumps into)

*goose bumps and *goose pimples

Fig. a prickly feeling related to having bumps on one's skin due to fear, excitement, or cold. (*Typically: get ~ have ~ give someone ∼.) When I hear that old song, I get goose bumps. I never have goose pimples, but my teeth chatter when it's cold.

See also: goose

bump (up) against someone or something

to strike someone or something accidentally, usually relatively gently. The car bumped up against the curb. The door has bumped against the wall and scratched the paint.

See also: against

bump someone or something up 

1. Lit. to damage or batter someone or something. The crash into the wall bumped the race driver up a little. The accident bumped up the passengers a little.

2. Fig. to raise someone or something to a higher category or level. (As if pushing someone into a higher category.) I wanted to fly first class, but they wouldn't bump me up. The ticket agent bumped up both of my friends, but not me.

See also: up

bump someone off and knock someone off

Sl. to kill someone. They tried to bump her off, but she was too clever and got away. The crooks threatened to bump off the witness to the crime.

bump along 

1. and bump along something Lit. to travel along a rough road. We bumped along on the dirt road to the lake. We bumped along the road, hanging onto our hats.

2. Fig. [for some plan or situation] to move along awkwardly and unevenly. The whole project bumped along to an uncertain conclusion. The plan bumped along for a while and then we all gave it up.

See also: along

bump into someone and run into someone 

1. Lit. to move inadvertently or crash into someone. Excuse me. I didn't mean to bump into you. The child on the bicycle nearly bumped into me.

2. Fig. to chance on someone; to meet someone by chance. (Not normally with physical contact.) Guess who I bumped into downtown today? I ran into Bill Jones yesterday.

Bump that!

Sl. Forget that! Bump that! I was wrong. I gave you the wrong number. Bump that!

If frogs had wheels, they wouldn't bump their butts, and If a toady frog had wings, he wouldn't bump his ass.

Rur. It is useless to wish for impossible things. (Use caution with ass.) Tom: If I had two hundred thousand dollars, I could buy that farm. Jane: Yeah, and if frogs had wheels, they wouldn't bump their butts. Charlie: If I were rich and famous, I'd make people listen to me. Bill: If a toady frog had wings, he wouldn't bump his ass.

See also: butt, frog, had, if

Let's bump this place!

Sl. Let's get out of this place!; Let's leave! Time to go. Let's bump this place! Let's bump this place! It's dead here.

See also: this

like a bump on a log

Fig. completely inert. (Derogatory.) Don't just sit there like a bump on a log; give me a hand! You can never tell what Julia thinks of something; she just stands there like a bump on a log.

See also: like, log

---

be bumping along the bottom  (British)

if an economic system is bumping along the bottom, it is working very slowly With the economy bumping along the bottom, it seems unlikely any new jobs will be created.

See also: along, bottom

like a bump on a log  (American informal)

if someone sits or stands somewhere like a bump on a log, they do not react in a useful or helpful way to the activities happening around them Don't just sit there like a bump on a log, come and help us!

See also: like, log

---

bump into somebody/something

to unexpectedly meet someone or find something Last week, Jill bumped into an old college friend she hadn't seen in years. The story is about an amateur detective who lives in Maine and has an amazing ability to bump into real-life murder stories.

bump off somebody also bump somebody off

to kill someone Unbelievable as it is, this woman decided that she was going to bump off her husband's girlfriend.