hump
hump Lexical Profile
hump Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A large rounded fleshy protuberance on the back of a camel, bison, or other animal, or an abnormal curvature of a person's spine.
"A camel's hump stores fat rather than water, allowing the animal to survive long journeys across the desert."
A rounded raised mass of earth or land, or a raised ridge across a road designed to slow down traffic.
"Drivers had to slow down significantly to navigate the series of speed humps along the residential street."
The most difficult or critical point of an undertaking, obstacle, or period of time (often in the phrase 'over the hump').
"Once we get over the hump of midterms, the rest of the semester should be much more manageable."
• verb
To make (something, especially the back) into a rounded or arched shape.
"The startled cat humped its back and hissed at the approaching dog."
To lift and carry (a heavy object) with great effort or strain (informal).
"The stagehands spent the afternoon humping heavy audio equipment up the flight of stairs."
• Rhymes for hump
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 17th century, probably from Low German hump ('heap' or 'thick piece') or Dutch homp, ultimately of imitative or expressive Germanic origin.