stump Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun the base part of a tree that remains standing after the tree has been felled
tree stump.
noun the part of a limb or tooth that remains after the rest is removed
noun (cricket) any of three upright wooden posts that form the wicket
noun a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it
soapbox; podium; ambo; pulpit; dais; rostrum.
verb cause to be perplexed or confounded
mix up.
- This problem stumped her
verb walk heavily
stamp; stomp.
- The men stomped through the snow in their heavy boots
verb travel through a district and make political speeches
- the candidate stumped the Northeast
verb remove tree stumps from
- stump a field

OE. stumpe, stompe; akin to D. stomp, G. stumpf, Icel. stumpr, Dan. & Sw. stump, and perhaps also to E. stamp.

The part of a tree or plant remaining in the earth after the stem or trunk is cut off; the stub.
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.
pl. The legs; as, to stir one's stumps. Slang
(Cricket) One of the three pointed rods stuck in the ground to form a wicket and support the bails.
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.
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. on the stump -- campaigning for public office

imperfect & past participle Stumped ; present participle & verbal noun Stumping

To cut off a part of; to reduce to a stump; to lop.
Around the stumped top soft moss did grow. Dr. H. More.
To strike, as the toes, against a stone or something fixed; to stub. Colloq.
To challenge; also, to nonplus. Colloq.
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.
(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. T. Hughes. (b) To bowl down the stumps of, as, of a wicket.
A herd of boys with clamor bowled, And stumped the wicket. Tennyson.