Bump

subs. (Oxford University).—1.  When one boat touches another in a race it is said to make a BUMP, and technically to beat its opponent: see BUMPING RACE.

  1865.  L. STEPHEN, Sketches from Cambridge, 7. I can still condescend to give our boat a stout when it makes a BUMP.

  1860.  Macmillan’s Magazine, March, 331. The chances of St. Ambrose’s making a BUMP the first night were weighed.

  Verb. (university).—1.  To overtake and touch an opposing boat, thus winning the heat or race (figuratively used in quot. 1897).

  1849.  THACKERAY, Pendennis, iii. He listened, and with respect too, to Mr. Foker’s accounts of what the men did at the University of which Mr. F. was an ornament, and encountered a long series of stories about boat-racing, BUMPING, College grass-plats, and milkpunch.

  1885.  Daily News, March, 13, 5, 1. As when Corpus bumped B.N.C. years ago, and went head of the river, whereon a spirit of wrath entered into the B.N.C. men, and next night they bumped Corpus back again.

  1886–7.  DICKENS, Dictionary of Cambridge, 11. Any boat which overtakes and BUMPS another … before the winning post is reached, changes place with it for the next race.

  1897.  MARSHALL, Pomes, 63. Little thinking that on such a course he’d end by being BUMPED.

  1899.  R. WHITEING, No. 5 John Street, xi. The eights have come out at Oxford, and my old college has been BUMPED—to the general consternation even of the victors.

  2.  (venery).—To copulate: see GREENS and RIDE.

  1772.  BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 188.

  NOW SHE BUMPS, phr. (common).—An expression of satisfaction. That’s O.K.! Things will go now! Now, we shan’t be long!