[Of symbolic sound; cf. dump, glump, grump, hump, mump.]
1. intr. To look sulky or disagreeable. (In early quots. always in collocation with lour.)
1577. Stanyhurst, Descr. Irel., in Holinshed, Chron. (1807–8), VI. 5. They stand lumping and lowring … for that they imagine that their evill lucke proceedeth of him.
1581. Rich, Farewell, Dd iv b. She beganne to froune, lumpe, and lowre at her housebande.
1593. Tell-Troth’s N. Y. Gift, 19. At home they will lumpe and lower.
1594. Lodge, Wounds Civ. W., IV. i. F 2. How fare these Lords that lumping pouting proud Imagine how to quell me with their lookes?
1847. Halliwell, Lump … (3) To be or look sulky. Devon.
2. trans. In antithesis with like: To be displeased at (something that must be endured). colloq.
1833. Neal, Down Easters, I. vii. 104. Let ’em lump it if they don’t like it.
1835–40. Haliburton, Clockm., Pref. (1862), 6. A man that would be guilty of such an action is no gentleman, that’s flat, and if you don’t like it you may lump it.
1878. Mrs. Stowe, Poganuc P., xi. 94. I’ll buy clothes as I see fit, and if anybody don’t like it, why they may lump it, that’s all.
1893. Grant Allen, in R. Blathwayt’s Interviews, Pref. 11. Whether we like him or lump him, he [the Interviewer] is master of the situation.
