stumps

Pronunciation

• IPA: /stʌmps/
• American English: /stʌmps/

Origin

From Old English "stump," meaning the remaining part of a tree after being cut down.

Meanings

1. (noun) The lower part of a tree left projecting from the ground after the trunk is cut off.

   • Example: "The forest was full of stumps after the logging operation."

2. (noun, cricket) The three upright sticks that form part of the wicket.

   • Example: "The bowler aimed to hit the stumps and take the wicket."

3. (verb) To perplex or baffle; to cause difficulty in understanding or solving.

   • Example: "The complex math problem stumped even the brightest students in the class."

4. (verb) To walk heavily or clumsily.

   • Example: "He stumped across the room in his oversized boots."

5. (verb, politics) To campaign or make political speeches in a specific area.

   • Example: "The candidate stumped across the state to gather support for the upcoming election."

Related Words

• Forms: stump (singular noun, verb), stumping (present participle)
• Synonyms:
  • (noun) stub, remnant, butt
  • (verb) baffle, perplex, confound, puzzle

Memorization Tricks

• Think of a tree "stump" as something that "stumps" your progress when walking through a forest.
• In cricket, remember that the "stumps" are what you're trying to protect or hit, just like tree stumps are the target when chopping wood.
• For the political meaning, imagine a politician standing on a tree stump to give speeches (as was common in early American politics).