dump
dump
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for the word "dump" is /dʌmp/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable (in this case, there's only one):
d: /d/ as in "dog" - a voiced alveolar stop
ʌ: /ʌ/ as in "cup" - a near-open central unrounded vowel
m: /m/ as in "man" - a voiced bilabial nasal
p: /p/ as in "pen" - a voiceless bilabial stop
Word Form Variations
dump (noun): A place for depositing refuse; a pile of refuse; a sudden heavy fall of rain or snow; (informal) an act of ending a romantic relationship. Also used as a verb.
dumps (noun, plural): More than one dump (place or pile). Also can be used idiomatically to mean a feeling of sadness or low spirits (e.g., "I've got the dumps").
dumped (verb, past tense/past participle): Past tense of the verb "to dump." Also used as an adjective (e.g., "a dumped boyfriend").
dumping (verb, present participle/gerund): The act of dumping. Also used as a noun (e.g., "illegal dumping").
dumper (noun): A person or thing that dumps something.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun:
Definition: A designated or informal location for discarding waste or unwanted materials.
Synonyms: landfill, junkyard, refuse heap, garbage pile, tip, midden
Antonyms: treasure, valuable, asset, prized possession
Definition: A sudden, heavy downpour of rain, snow, or other precipitation.
Synonyms: deluge, downpour, torrent, cloudburst, snowfall
Antonyms: drizzle, sprinkle, light rain, dry spell
(Informal) Definition: The act of ending a romantic relationship abruptly and unceremoniously.
Synonyms: breakup, dismissal, rejection, abandonment, parting
Antonyms: engagement, marriage, commitment, reconciliation
(Informal) Definition: A feeling of sadness or low spirits.
Synonyms: blues, doldrums, gloom, melancholy, despondency
Antonyms: joy, happiness, elation, cheerfulness, exuberance
Verb:
Definition: To dispose of or discard something unwanted or useless.
Synonyms: discard, dispose of, throw away, jettison, unload, trash
Antonyms: keep, retain, save, store, preserve
Definition: To deposit or unload something in a careless or unceremonious manner.
Synonyms: unload, deposit, heap, pile, fling, drop
Antonyms: carefully place, arrange, organize, pack
(Informal) Definition: To end a romantic relationship abruptly and unceremoniously.
Synonyms: break up with, reject, dismiss, abandon, jilt
Antonyms: commit to, marry, reconcile with, stay with
Adjective:
(Informal) Definition: Having a feeling of sadness or low spirits (often used in the phrase "in the dumps").
Synonyms: depressed, gloomy, melancholy, despondent, downcast
Antonyms: happy, joyful, cheerful, elated, upbeat
Adverb:
(The word "dump" is not commonly used as an adverb.)
Examples of Use
Noun:
Physical Waste: "The city council is struggling to find a new location for the city's landfill dump." (Hypothetical news report).
Sudden Downpour: "We got a huge dump of snow last night, making the roads treacherous." (Social media post).
Relationship Ending: "She gave him the dump after she found out he was cheating." (Fictional dialogue).
Low Spirits: "I've been in the dumps ever since I lost my job." (Personal blog entry).
Verb:
Discarding: "They dumped all the old furniture in the attic." (Fictional narrative).
Unloading: "The truck dumped its load of gravel at the construction site." (News article).
Ending a Relationship: "She dumped him via text message." (Online forum discussion).
Adjective (in the phrase "in the dumps"):
Feeling Sad: "He was feeling in the dumps after his team lost the championship game." (Sports blog).
Examples from various mediums:
Literature: While finding specific examples of the word "dump" in literature requires searching within texts, it's easy to imagine its use in descriptions of poverty (referring to a garbage dump), emotional distress (referring to being "in the dumps"), or even a dramatic breakup scene.
News: News reports frequently use "dump" in the context of environmental issues (illegal dumping), weather events (snow dumps), or even economic news (market dumping).
Online Publications: Online articles and blogs use "dump" in all its variations, from discussing relationship breakups to reporting on the latest snowfall.
Entertainment: Movies and TV shows use "dump" in dialogue and storylines, particularly when depicting relationship drama or scenes involving waste disposal. Songs also use "dump" metaphorically.
Public Discourse: In everyday conversations, people use "dump" casually and frequently, reflecting its common usage in the language. For example, someone might say, "I need to dump out my purse" or "He dumped me last week."
10 Famous Quotes Using Dump
"Don’t dump your anger on your children; they didn’t create it." — Maya Angelou
"One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, but one man’s treasure is another man’s dump." — Anonymous proverb
"You can’t just dump ideas on people and expect them to swallow them whole." — Salman Rushdie
"Don’t dump your problems on others; deal with them, then share the lesson." — Oprah Winfrey
"A writer is someone who has taught his mind to misbehave; you don’t dump words, you play with them." — A. S. Byatt
"The quickest way to become popular is to dump on the unpopular." — Margaret Atwood
"If you want to know a country, don’t just look at its palaces—look at its dump heaps." — Charles Dickens
"Don’t dump your expectations on someone else; grow your own joy." — Brené Brown
"Most people don’t want to hear the truth; they just want a dump of reassurance." — George Carlin
"History is the dump of lies where we bury the truth." — Jean Cocteau
Etymology
The word "dump" has a somewhat murky past, etymologically speaking. We don't know for absolute certain where it came from, but we have some pretty good clues.
It's believed to be of Scandinavian origin, possibly related to the Old Norse word "dumpa," which meant "to fall or plunge down." Think of something heavy falling with a thud – that's the core idea. This connection to a sudden, heavy fall is key to understanding how "dump" got its various meanings.
The first recorded use of "dump" in English appears to be around the early 14th century. Initially, it was used as a verb meaning "to throw down or unload in a mass." Imagine a farmer dumping a load of grain or someone dumping a pile of rocks. That physical act of dropping a large quantity of something is the original sense of the word.
From this core meaning, several other uses developed over time. The idea of a place where things are dumped (a garbage dump, for example) came later. The sense of ending a relationship ("I dumped him") is a more recent, figurative extension, where the relationship is metaphorically "unloaded" or discarded. Even the idea of a sudden downpour of rain or snow can be seen as a "dumping" from the sky.
So, in short, "dump" probably comes from a Scandinavian word for falling or plunging. It first appeared in English meaning to throw down in a mass, and from that basic idea, all the other meanings we use today have evolved.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Dump
Phrases (more literal than idiomatic):
To dump someone: To end a romantic relationship with someone abruptly.
To dump something: To throw something away, discard it, or get rid of it.
A garbage dump: A place where trash is disposed of.
A snow dump: A heavy snowfall.
In the dumps: Feeling sad or depressed.
Less Common or Evolving Idioms/Phrases:
To dump information: To unload a large amount of information on someone quickly. This is more of a colloquialism than a full-fledged idiom.
Brain dump: Similar to the above, referring to quickly transferring a lot of information from one's brain (often in writing).
Why "Dump" Isn't Rich in Idioms:
"Dump" often refers to a very direct, physical action—the act of discarding or unloading. This literalness makes it less likely to be used in the nuanced, figurative ways that give rise to rich idioms. Idioms often rely on metaphor and symbolism, and "dump" tends to stay closer to its original concrete meaning.
Phrases and Idioms Using Synonyms (for a similar effect):
To throw something away: (Similar to "dump something") - This is a very common idiom for discarding something.
To get rid of something: (Similar to "dump something") - Another common way to express discarding.
To break up with someone: (Similar to "dump someone") - A more common idiom for ending a relationship.
Down in the dumps: (Similar to "in the dumps") - A very common idiom for feeling depressed.
To unload on someone: (Similar to "dump information") - To share one's problems or burdens with someone.
To offload something: (Similar to "dump something") - To get rid of a burden or responsibility.
Original/Illustrative Phrases:
"He dumped his worries into the ocean." (Metaphorical use of "dump")
"She dumped her old clothes in the donation bin." (Literal use)
"The rain dumped down on us all afternoon." (Figurative use, referring to heavy rain)
While "dump" itself may not be a word brimming with idioms, its core meaning of discarding or unloading is expressed through many other common phrases and idioms in English.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of dump from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
