[A word of mod. Eng., known only from c. 1500; app. of onomatopœic origin: cf. bump, etc.
Words app. parallel are MHG. and dial. Ger. gumpen to jump, hop, Da. gumpe, Sw. dial. gumpa, Sw. guppa to move up and down, Icel. goppa to skip; but it does not appear how the 16th-c. Eng. jump could be historically or phonetically related to these.]
I. Intransitive senses.
1. To make a spring from the ground or other base by flexion and sudden muscular extension of the legs (or, in the case of some animals, as fish, of the tail, or other part); to throw oneself upward, forward, backward, or downward, from the ground or point of support; to leap, spring, bound; spec. to leap with the feet together, as opposed to hopping on one leg.
1530. Palsgr., 596/1. I jumpe, as one dothe that holdeth bothe his fete togyther, and leape upon a thyng.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 347. Not the worst of the three, but iumpes twelue foote and a halfe by th’ squire.
1676. Hobbes, Iliad, I. 504. And Thetis from it jumpt’d into the Brine.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 118, ¶ 2. He jumped across the Fountain.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. (1840), 284. Friday … laughed, hallooed, jumped about, danced, sung.
1797. Mrs. Bennett, Beggar Girl (1813), III. 35. Jumping down half a dozen steps at once.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, lxviii. She jumped on to the beach and walked many paces.
1867. F. Francis, Angling, i. (1880), 52. He should … mark where he sees a barbel jump.
1875. Buckland, Log-Bk., 88. I have never seen a salmon jump at sea.
b. To move suddenly with a leap, bound, or the like movement; to ‘spring,’ ‘dart,’ ‘shoot.’
1724. De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 15. I jumpt out of bed.
18[?]. L. Hunt, Rondeau. Jenny kissed me when we met, Jumping from the chair she sat in.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., II. viii. 89. I jumped at once to the gun-stand.
1882. B. D. W. Ramsay, Recoll. Mil. Serv., I. v. 90. He jumped up with apparent indignation.
1884. J. Payn, Lit. Recoll., 181. To ambush in the wooded pass … and jump out upon me where it was darkest.
c. To move with a sudden involuntary jerk as the result of excitement or of a nervous shock; to start. To jump for joy, said lit. of children, etc., also fig. to be joyfully excited.
1715. De Foe, Fam. Instruct., I. i. (1841), I. 8. I’ll thank him for it, for my heart jumps within me.
1775. Mad. D’Arblay, Early Diary (1889), II. 69. I could almost have jumped for joy when he was gone, to think the affair was thus finally over.
1861. Thackeray, Four Georges, iii. (1880), 137. So she jumped for joy; and went upstairs and packed all her little trunks.
1865. Dickens, Mut. Fr., I. vi. You made me jump, Charley.
1900. Speaker, 19 May, 190/1. A harsh penetrating voice that made me jump.
2. transf. Of inanimate things: To be moved or thrown up with a sudden jerk like the jump of a man or beast. With quot. 1511 cf. bump.
1511. Guylforde, Pilgr., 60. The sayde ancre helde vs frome jumppynge and betynge vpon the sayde rok.
1568. [see JUMPING vbl. sb.].
1611. Cotgr., Cahoter, to iumpe, iog, or hop, as a coach in vneuen way.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 128. Such as jump in, die wise or cubically.
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, II. 134. It should … be set … accurately, so as not to jump or sway in any part when made to revolve.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. viii. 58. I … could see the stream flashing as it jumped over the ledges.
1894. Hall Caine, Manxman, V. iii. 287. The sea was beginning to jump.
3. fig. To pass abruptly from one thing or state to another, with omission of intermediate stages; to spring up or rise suddenly in amount, price, etc.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 856/1. If we goe about to bring them to some instruction, they iumpe from the cocke to the asse [ils sauteront du coq à l’asne].
1727. De Foe, Syst. Magic, I. i. (1840), 36. To jump at once from the beginning of things to the present times.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. vi. 347. Our soundings gradually decreased … to twenty-five fathom; but soon after … they jumped back again to thirty fathom.
1886. C. Scott, Sheep-Farming, 189. Another upward bound was experienced, when wool jumped up suddenly to 46s. per tod.
b. To come to († into), or arrive at (a conclusion, etc.) precipitately and without examination of the premisses.
a. 1704. Locke, in Spect. (1714), No. 626, ¶ 6. We see a little, presume a great deal, and so jump to the Conclusion.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, V. i. ¶ 62. [He] jumped to the conclusion that there was not a more ancient house in Spain.
c. 1865. J. Wylde, in Circ. Sc., I. 302/2. The rigid system of philosophy cannot allow us to jump at conclusions.
1884. Rider Haggard, Dawn, xlvi. So ill-natured—or rather, so given to jumping to conclusions—is society.
1897. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., II. 1044. The diagnosis … must not be jumped at without a careful consideration of the entire circumstances of the case.
4. With prepositions in special uses.
a. To jump at (rarely for): To spring as a beast at its prey; fig. to accept or take advantage of eagerly. colloq.
1769. Gray, Jrnl., Lett. to Wharton, 3 Oct. Butter that Siserah would have jumped at, though not in a lordly dish.
1844. Alb. Smith, Mr. Ledbury, vii. (1886), 21. The guests … all jumped at the invitation.
1873. Black, Pr. Thule, xxvi. 443. Lavender jumped at that notion directly.
1894. R. Bridges, Feast of Bacchus, III. 988. She jumped at the bargain.
b. To jump upon: To spring or pounce upon as a beast upon its victim, or a victor upon the prostrate body of a foe; hence (colloq.), to ‘come down’ crushingly with word or act upon one who exposes himself to severe handling or insult.
1868. Miss Braddon, Dead-sea Fruit, v. I. 78. When a wretched scribbler was, in vulgar phraseology, to be ‘jumped upon.’
1891. Church, Oxford Movement, xvi. 274. Like a general jumping on his antagonist whom he has caught in the act of a false move.
5. To act or come exactly together; to agree completely, to coincide, tally. Const. with.
1567. [implied in JUMPINGLY].
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 27. Al this iumpid wel together.
1588. J. Udall, Demonstr. Discip., To Rdr. (Arb.), 10. The iudgments … so iumping with mine.
1590. R. Sidley, Madrigal, in Greene, Never too late, A iij b. How loue and follie iumpe in euery part.
1592. R. D., Hypnerotomachia, 70 b. The corners of which triangle did iumpe with the sides, and lymbus of the subjacent plynth.
1607. Walkington, Opt. Glass, 20. Doe they speake as though it were a wonder,… wisedome and vertue iump in one with beauty?
a. 1658. Cleveland, Poems, Britannicus’s Leap, 18. Good Wits may jump.
1663. Butler, Hud., I. ii. 1240. For all Men live and judge amiss Whose Talents jump not just with his.
1702. S. Sewall, Diary, 21 Feb. (1879), II. 53. Our Thoughts being thus confer’d, and found to jump, makes it to me remarkable.
1768. Goldsm., Good-n. Man, v. Resolutions are well kept when they jump with inclinations.
1853. W. Irving, in Life & Lett. (1864), IV. 125. Our humors jump together completely.
1891. Guardian, 5 Aug., 1273/2. One passage in Mr. Morley’s speech jumps with a letter we print to-day.
b. To jump awry, to disagree.
1762. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, V. xxviii. The trine and sextile aspects have jumped awry.
II. Transitive senses.
6. To pass clear over by a leap; to leap or spring over; to clear. In the game of draughts, To jump over in moving, to take (an opposing man). U.S.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., xliv. For nimble thought can iumpe both sea and land.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxii. (1856), 176. Alternately jumping these crevices and clambering up the hummocks between them.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. ix. 64. Jumping the adjacent fissures.
fig. 1899. Boston (U.S.) Transcr., 24 Feb., 6/1. The appointee has received a promotion … by influence, and in doing it has jumped many of his fellow-officers quite as good or better than he.
b. To get on or off (a ship, train, etc.) by jumping. U.S.
1891. C. Roberts, Adrift Amer., v. 81. I managed to jump a freight [train] the same night and got right up to Topeka.
1899. Westm. Gaz., 29 Nov., 2/1. He was too old a sailor to give them a chance of ‘jumping’ her.
c. Of things: To spring off, to leave (the rails).
1883. Leisure Ho., 282/1. The cars had ‘jumped the track.’
1898. Westm. Gaz., 20 Jan., 7/2. The near van jumped the metals and fouled the line just as the north-bound passenger train was approaching.
† 7. To effect or do as with a jump. Obs.
1611. Shaks., Wint. T., V. iv. 195. Loue-songs for Maids … Iump-her, and thump-her.
1616. B. Jonson, Devil an Ass, IV. i. Why, there was Sr Iohn Monie-man could iump A Businesse quickely.
1633. W. R., Match Midnight, III. in Hazl., Dodsley, XIII. 63. My father … swears, if I pleased him well, it should serve to jump out my portion.
1684. N. S., Crit. Enq. Edit. Bible, xxv. 230. The latter … jump’t up new Translations of the Bible.
8. To cause to jump; to give a jumping motion to; to drive forward with a bound; to startle. Also fig.
c. 1815. Jane Austen, Persuas. (1833), I. xii. 310. She … ran up the steps to be jumped down again.
1849. Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc., X. I. 177. The gleans must then be jumped on the ground to level the roots.
1875. Blake-Humfrey, Eton Boating Bk., 45. With a dashing stroke the Westminsters jumped their boat up to their opponents.
1883. Gresley, Gloss. Coal Mining, Jump … 2. To raise boring-rods in a bore-hole, and allow them to fall of their own weight.
1883. American, VI. 40. Constructed with a view to ‘jumping her’ over the bars at low water.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer (1891), 222. He nearly jumped his horse on to that last bullock’s back.
1893. F. Adams, New Egypt, 151. It is some time since I have felt so uncomfortable as I felt then, with … this question jumped upon me like a flash of lightning.
1898. Westm. Gaz., 7 April, 2/3. People … whose nerves have been jumped by scorchers.
b. To cook in a frying-pan, shaking (them) up from time to time. Cf. JUMPED ppl. a.
1877. ‘Ouida,’ Puck, xxiii. 265. The cook sent me word that he’s invented a new style of jumping mushrooms in wine.
c. Sporting. To cause (game) to start; to ‘spring.’
1885. T. Roosevelt, Hunting Trips, 59. We had half an hour’s good sport in ‘jumping’ these little ducks.
1894. F. Remington, in Harper’s Mag., Feb., 352/2. We might catch a bunch of antelope which we had ‘jumped’ the day before.
9. To pounce upon, come down upon with violence or unawares; to rob, to cheat; to seize upon by sudden unexpected action; to ‘steal a march’ upon.
1789. Geo. Parker, Life’s Painter, 160 (Farmer). They … pick him up and take him to the above alehouse to jump him, or do him upon the broads, which means cards.
1870. B. Harte, Roaring Camp, 134 (Farmer). The old proprietor … was green, and let the boys about here jump him.
1879. A. Forbes, in Daily News, 28 June, 5/6. Some fellows … prowl around habitually with a single eye to ‘jumping’ anything conveniently portable.
1882. St. James’s Gaz., 11 Feb. The violent manner in which the office of Prime Minister was ‘jumped.’
1889. C. King, Queen of Bedlam, 106. The Cheyenne stage, they said, was ‘jumped,’ the driver killed, and the … passengers burned alive.
1899. Westm. Gaz., 17 May, 1/2. To try to jump the Transvaal after the experience of three years ago … would indeed be worse than folly.
b. To jump a claim, etc.: To take summary possession of a piece of land called a ‘claim,’ on the ground that the former occupant has abandoned it, or has failed to comply with the legal requirements. Chiefly U.S. and Colonial. Also transf.
1854. in Melbourne Argus, 21 March. Claims are being jumped daily. Ibid. (1855), 6 Jan. The meeting [of diggers] unanimously resolved to ‘jump’ all deserted holes.
1879. Daily News, 22 March, 6/2. There was a word coined and current at the mines of California among its rowdy population which exactly suits the transaction—‘jumping.’… We ‘jumped’ the Diamond Fields, we ‘jumped’ the Transvaal, and we intend to ‘jump’ Zululand if we can.
1890. ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Miner’s Right, iv. 37. If such work were not commenced within three days, any other miners might summarily take possession of or ‘jump’ the claim.
1893. Westm. Gaz., 7 July, 3/1.
10. To skip over, skip, pass by, evade.
To jump one’s bail, one’s bill, to abscond, leaving one’s sureties liable or one’s bill unpaid. U.S. slang.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XII. iii. We have ourselves been very often … given to jumping, as we have run through the pages of voluminous historians.
1844. Emerson, Lect. New Eng. Reformers, Wks. (Bohn), I. 262. So they jumped the Greek and Latin, and read law, medicine, or sermons, without it.
1888. Chicago Herald (Farmer). He arose at early dawn and jumped his bill.
† 11. To hazard. Obs.
1605. Shaks., Macb., I. vii. 7. But heere, vpon this Banke and Schoole of time, Wee’ld iumpe the life to come. Ibid. (1611), Cymb., V. iv. 188. You must … iump the after-enquiry on your owne perill.
† 12. To agree upon or make up hastily (a marriage, a match). Obs.
1589. Greene, Menaphon (Arb.), 92. Doron smudgde himselfe vp, and iumpde a marriage with his old friend Carmela. Ibid. (1590), Never too late (1600), 103. She counts the man worthy to iumpe a match with her.
1615. Swetnam, Arraignm. Wom. (1880), p. xxvi. I aduise thee … to haue a speciall regard to her quallities and conditions before thou shake hands or iumpe a match with her.
13. a. Iron-forging. To flatten, ‘upset,’ or shorten and thicken the end of a rail or bar by endwise blows. Also transf.
1851. Illustr. Catal. Gt. Exhib., 249. The ends of the rails will not be jumped up or flattened by the wheels coming in contact with them, which is now the case.
1858. Greener, Gunnery, 434. Fine powder will not do it, but, on the contrary, would jump up the end of the harpoon, or bend it.
1874. Thearle, Naval Archit., 99. Sometimes the butts … are fitted by chipping and ‘jumping’ them; that is, by hammering the butt of the plate until it fits against the butt of the next plate.
1883. Crane, Smithy & Forge, 43. The extreme end is made white hot, and instantly thrust down or ‘jumped’ several times upon the anvil.
b. To join by welding the fattened ends (cf. jump-weld in JUMP-). c. To join (rails, etc.) end on end (cf. jump-joint ibid.).
1864. Webster, Jump.… 3. (Smith Work) To join by a butt-weld.
1884. Cheshire Gloss., s.v., When a joiner, in putting up rails, nails them to the stumps exactly end to end … he calls it ‘jumping’ the rails.
14. Quarrying. To drill by means of a jumper.
1851. Greenwell, Coal-trade Terms Northumb. & Durh., 32. Jump.—To drill a hole for the purpose of blasting;… the drill is made of a greater length, and the opposite end from the chisel end swelled out to make it heavy, and the drill driven by hand.
1865. J. T. F. Turner, Slate Quarries, 13. A hole is jumped in the block [of slate], near the edge.
