Hump: meaning, definitions and examples

Often refers to a raised part on the back of animals like camels or a slight elevation on a surface. Can also be used informally to describe a difficult period or task.

• The camel stored fat in its hump for long journeys through the desert.
• We need to get over this mid-week hump to finish the project.

Describes a minor raised area on a surface, often resulting from a minor collision or impact. Can also refer to hitting something gently.

• There was a bump on the road that made the car jump.
• She felt a bump on her head after she hit it on the shelf.

Refers to a compact mass, often irregular in shape, which can form in substances or can be felt under the skin. Can also mean a shapeless or heavy mass.

• She found a lump in the dough that needed to be smoothed out.
• The doctor examined the lump on his neck to ensure it wasn't serious.

A formal term for something that sticks out from a surface, often used in scientific or technical contexts.

• The protuberance on the bone was clearly visible in the X-ray.
• The plant had a noticeable protuberance where the new leaf was forming.

Commonly used to describe a rounded raised area on the back of an animal, like a camel, or to refer to a small hill or a raised area on a road or ground.

• The camel's hump stores fat.
• We hiked over a small hump in the field.

Often used to describe a small raised area on a surface caused by impact or irregularity. It is also used colloquially to refer to a minor collision.

• I felt a bump under the carpet.
• There was a bump when the car hit the pothole.

Used to describe a compact mass of a substance, often irregularly shaped. In medical terms, it can refer to a swelling or growth under the skin.

• She found a lump in her cereal.
• He was worried about the lump on his arm.

A formal term that refers to something that sticks out from a surface, usually larger or more pronounced than a bump.

• The tree had a strange protuberance on its trunk.
• A protuberance on the wall made it impossible to hang the picture flat.

Use 'haul' when referring to pulling or dragging something heavy with effort, often over a longer distance. It can imply a more laborious task.

• They had to haul the old sofa up three flights of stairs.
• We need a truck to haul all this equipment to the venue.

Use 'carry' when talking about moving items from one place to another by holding them, usually over a short distance.

• I have to carry these books to the library.
• Can you help me carry the groceries inside?

Use 'transport' when referring to moving people or goods from one place to another, usually over a significant distance and often by a vehicle.

• The company transports goods from the port to the warehouse.
• Public buses transport thousands of passengers every day.