• BUM
adj. 1. 1859 sl., orig. US – of low quality; bad; inferior; unsatisfactory; faulty
adj. 2. 1943 Amer. dial. – ill, though not seriously so
n. 1. 1387 sl., chiefly British – the buttocks
n. 2. 1864 sl., orig. & chiefly US – a vagrant, a tramp, a good-for-nothing; a lazy shiftless person; a habitual loafer
n. 3. 1890 US colloq. – a debauch or spree
n. 4. 1896 US colloq. – a state of disorder
n. 5. Bk1904 Amer. college sl. – any frolic
n. 6. 1931 Amer. dial. – a motherless lamb that is raised by hand
n. 7. 1966 Amer. dial. – a big marble used to knock others out of the ring
n. 8. 1967 Amer. dial. – a bump; a lump from a sharp blow or knock
vb. 1. US Civil War usage – to carouse
vb. 2. 1883 US colloq. – to knock about; to wander around, to loaf
vb. 3. 1889 US colloq. – to go ‘on the bum’; to act as a ‘bum’; to sponge
vb. 4. 1896 US colloq. – to travel on a train without a ticket
vb. 5. Bk1903 sl. – to possess carnally
vb. 6. 1966 Amer. dial. – to play hooky
vb. 7. 1970 Amer. dial. – to say uncomplimentary things about somebody; to bad-mouth
• BUM A LAMB
vb. 1938 Amer. dial. – to take it away from its mother and raise it by hand
• BUM AROUND
vb. Bk1990 Amer. sl. – to wander around
• BUMBA
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – the buttocks
• BUM-BAGS
n. 1840 Eng. dial. & sl. – trousers, breeches
• BUMBASOL
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUMBASTE
vb. 1. 1571 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – to beat on the posteriors; to inflict school punishment; hence, to flog, to thrash, to beat or baste soundly
vb. 2. 19C sl. – to copulate
• BUMBASTO
n. 1969 Amer. dial. – the buttocks
• BUMBAZE
vb. 1725 chiefly Sc. – to amaze, confound, bewilder, perplex, bamboozle; to look aghast, confounded, stupefied
• BUMBEE
n. 1808 Amer. dial. – a bumblebee
• BUM-BEEFED
adj. 1960s African-American sl. – framed by the police as in the case when drugs are planted in one’s pocket by the arresting officer
• BUMBERALL
n. 1896 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUMBERELL
n. 1902 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUMBERELLA
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUMBERSHOOT
n. 1896 sl., chiefly U.S. – an umbrella
• BUMBERSOL; BUMBERSOLL
n. 1901 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUMBERSOME
adj. 1965 Amer. dial. – clumsy, awkward
• BUMBLE
n. 1. 1856 – a beadle; a member of a municipal corporation, parish council, or the like, to whom official pomposity and fussy stupidity are attributed; a consequential jack-in-office
n. 2. 1876 Amer. dial. – a bumblebee
n. 3. 1968 Amer. dial. – a lump on the head from a sharp blow or knock
• BUMBLE-BATH
n. 1. 1595 obs. – a bed or room in a brothel
n. 2. 1965 – a mess, a muddle, a pickle, a confusion
• BUMBLEBEE
n. 1970 Amer. dial. – a big marble used to knock others out of the ring
• BUMBLEBEE STEW
n. 1956 Amer. dial. – strong whisky, moonshine
• BUMBLEBEE WHISKY
n. 1867 Amer. dial. – strong whisky, moonshine
• BUMBLEBUG
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – a very awkward, clumsy person
• BUMBLE-FOOTED
adj. 1954 Amer. dial. – awkward, clumsy
• BUMBLE-KITE
n. 1. 1691 Eng. dial. – a blackberry
n. 2. 19C Eng. dial. – a person with a protuberant stomach
n. 3. 19C Eng. dial. – one whose clumsiness is productive of mischief
• BUMBLER
n. 1911 Amer. dial. – a bumblebee
• BUMBLER BEE
n. a1883 Amer. dial. – a bumblebee
• BUMBLERSHOOT
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUMBLESHOOT
n. 1941 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUMBLINGS
n. 1913 Amer. dial. – adulterated moonshine whisky
• BUMBLY
n. c1970 Amer. dial. – a striped marble with a white background
• BUMBLY BEE
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – a bumblebee
• BUMBO
n. Bk1892 W. Indian sl. – the female genitals
• BUMBOAT
n. Amer. World War I sl. – a hawker or peddler aboard a Navy ship .
• BUMBOSCIS
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – the nose
• BUMBOSITY
n. 1950 Amer. dial. – the buttocks
• BUM-BOY
n. 1929 sl., derogatory – a young male homosexual, esp. a prostitute
• BUMBRELLA
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUMBY
adv. 1786 Amer. dial. – by and by, presently
• BUM CHECK
n. Bk1990 Amer. sl. – a bad cheque; a forged cheque
• BUM-COOLER
n. Bk1891 sl. – a short jacket
• BUM CRUMB
n. 2003 UK sl. – a small lump of excrement that clings to the anal hair
• BUM-CURTAIN
n. 1. 1889 Cambridge University sl. – an old name for academical gowns when they were worn scant and short
n. 2. 19C sl. – trousers, breeches
n. 3. 19C sl. – a jacket
• BUM DOGS
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – tired or sore feet
• BUM DOUGH
n. 1992 US sl. – counterfeit money
• BUMERELL
n. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – umbrella
• BUMF
n. 1. 1889 UK sl. – paperwork; official papers
n. 2. 1889 UK sl. – toilet paper
• BUM-FACE
n. 1972 UK sl., derogatory – a term of address
• BUMFEG
vb. 1589 obs. – to flog, to beat, to thrash
• BUMF-HUNT
n. 1889 sl. – a paper-chase
• BUMFIDDLE
vb. Bk1903 sl. – to possess carnally
• BUMFIDDLER
n. 1611 – a busybody; a fidgety person
• BUMFIDGETS
n. 1950 Amer. dial. – an aggravated state of nervousness; the fidgets
• BUM FLUFF
n. 1. 1945 Aust. sl. – empty talk; nonsense
n. 2. 1949 UK sl. – the facial hair of an adolescent boy
n. 3. 2000 UK sl. – a contemptible man, esp. one who is younger than, or of junior status to, the speaker
• BUM-FLUFFERIES
n. 2001 UK sl. – details; the small print
• BUM-FODDER
n. 1. 1653 – ‘soft paper for the necessary house’; toilet paper
n. 2. M17 sl. – worthless literature only good for use as toilet paper
n. 3. 1900s US sl. – tabloid newspapers
• BUMFOODLED
adj. 1966 Amer. dial. – confused, mixed up
• BUMFOOZLE
vb. 1880 Eng. & Amer. dial. – to play tricks upon; to deceive; to humbug; to bewilder, to confuse, to perplex
• BUMFOOZLED
adj. 1912 Amer. dial. – bewildered, perplexed, confused, disconcerted, mixed up
• A BUM FOR LOOKS
n. 1. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – something unattractive
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – an unattractive person
• BUM FREEZER
n. 1889 sl., chiefly Brit. – a short jacket (thought of as) not covering the buttocks
• BUMFUCK
vb. 1866 US sl. – to have anal intercourse; to sodomize someone
• BUMFUDDLED
adj. 1956 Amer. dial. – confused, mixed up
• BUMFUZZLE
vb. 1905 Amer. dial. – to bewilder, to confuse, to perplex
• BUMFUZZLED
adj. 1914 Amer. dial. – bewildered; confused; disconcerted
• BUMFUZZLER
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a television
• BUM-HEAD
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a cow that has never had horns
• BUM HUNCH
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – an erroneous idea or expectation
• BUM ICE
n. 1973 Amer. dial. – ice refrozen after a thaw
• BUM JACKET
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – a short jacket
• BUM-LOOKER
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – an unattractive person
• BUMMED
adj. Bk1990 Amer. sl. – discouraged; depressed
• BUMMED OUT
adj. Bk1990 Amer. sl. – discouraged; depressed
• BUMMER
n. 1. US Civil War usage – a deserter
n. 2. US Civil War usage – a generic name for the destructive horde of deserters, stragglers, runaway slaves, and marauders who helped make life miserable in the war-torn South
n. 3. US Civil War usage – a person more interested in the spoils of war than in good conduct; a predatory soldier
n. 4. 1855 US sl. – an idler, loafer, lounger; a worthless, lazy fellow
n. 5. Bk1913-17 Amer. sl. – a disagreeable thing or person; a worthless person
n. 6. 1940 Amer. dial. – a motherless lamb that is raised by hand
n. 7. 1966 sl., orig. US – something depressing
n. 8. 1966 sl., orig. & chiefly US – an unpleasant experience induced by a hallucinogenic drug
n. 9. 1966 Amer. dial. – a big marble used to knock others out of the ring
n. 10. 20C teen & high school sl. – a bad break; a nasty experience
• BUMMING
adj. Bk1990 Amer. sl. – down; depressed; suffering from something disagreeable
• BUMMOX
n. 1941 Amer. dial. – an awkward, clumsy person
• BUMMY
adj. 1. 1931 Amer. dial. – ill, though not seriously so, indisposed
adj. 2. 1931 Amer. dial. – spoiled, unfit for use
adj. 3. 1990s African-American sl. – dirty and ragged; dishevelled
• BUM NAKED
adj. 1965 Amer. dial. – completely naked
• BUM OUT
vb. 1. Bk1990 Amer. sl. – to have a bad experience
vb. 2. Bk1990 Amer. drug culture sl. – to have a bad experience with drugs
• BUMP
n. 1. 1899 Amer. dial. – a pimple
n. 2. c1960 Amer. dial. – a boil
n. 3. c1960 Amer. dial. – a hickey
n. 4. 1966 Amer. dial. – the buttocks
n. 5. 1980s African-American sl. – robbery
vb. 1. US Civil War usage – to kill; to die; to shell of bombard a certain position
vb. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to ruin; to destroy
vb. 3. 1980s African-American sl. – to rob
vb. 4. 1990s African-American sl. – to deliberately drive into someone’s moving car for the purpose of stalling and robbing them
• BUMPA
n. 1984 Amer. dial. – the buttocks
• BUMP AND GRAB
vb. 1990s African-American sl. – to deliberately drive into someone’s moving car for the purpose of stalling and robbing them
• BUMPED OFF
adj. Bk2004 Amer. World War I sl. – killed
• BUMPER
adj. 1836 – excellent; first-rate; exceptionally large or abundant
n. 1. 1670 – a cup or glass of alcoholic drink filled to the brim, esp. for a toast
n. 2. 1759 sl. – anything unusually large, abundant, or excellent
n. 3. 1723 theatrical sl., obs. – a crowded house at a theatre
n. 4. 1899 Aust. & NZ sl. – a cigarette butt
n. 5. 1900 Irish English, colloq. – an amateur rider in a horse race
n. 6. 1930s African-American sl. – a nickel
n. 7. 1945 Amer. dial. – a boost up
n. 8. 1950 Amer. dial. – the buttocks
n. 9. 1968 Amer. dial. – one’s grandfather; used as an affectionate form of address
vb. 1. 1691 obs. – to drink a toast in the form of a ‘bumper’
vb. 2. 1822 obs. – to cause bumps or jolts
• BUM-PERISHER
n. 1889 sl., chiefly Brit. – a short jacket (thought of as) not covering the buttocks
• BUMPERIZE
vb. a1794 nonce word obs. – to drink bumpers (bumper – a cup or glass of wine, etc., filled to the brim)
• BUMPERSHOOT
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUMPERSOL
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUMPH
n. 1. 1889 UK sl. – paperwork; official papers
n. 2. 1889 UK sl. – toilet paper
• BUMPIE
n. 1980s sl., orig. US – a Black upwardly mobile young professional
• BUMPING
adj. 1. 1566 colloq. – huge, great; of a drinking vessel: filled to the brim
adj. 2. 1990s African-American sl. – having a ‘rocking’ good time
n. 1. 1646 rare – the booming call of the bittern
n. 2. 1751 rare – a seizing a person by the arms and legs and striking his or her rump against a post, wall, etc., esp. as a punishment
• BUMPITY
n. 1968 Amer. dial. – the buttocks
• BUMPITY-BUMP
adv. 1874 – jolting or jogging to and fro or up and down
• BUMPKINET
n. 1714 obs. – a little bumpkin
• BUMPKINLY
adj. 1656 – characteristic of a bumpkin; unsophisticated, rustic, clownish
• BUMPKNOT
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a lump on the head from a sharp blow or knock
• BUMP’N
adj. 20C teen & high school sl. – of the highest quality, as clothes or music (pronounced BUM-pun)
• BUMP’N LIKE A MUG
adj. 20C teen & high school sl. – of the highest quality, as clothes or music (pronounced BUM-pun)
• BUMP OFF
vb. 1. 1907 sl., orig. US – to kill deliberately
vb. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to ruin; to destroy
• BUMP ONE’S GUMS
vb. 1965 Amer. dial. – to argue; to talk, esp. loudly or vociferously
• BUMPS
n. 1. 1965 Amer. dial., esp. African-American – a rash
n. 2. 1968 Amer. dial. – one’s grandfather; used as an affectionate form of address
• BUMP SOMEONE OFF
vb. Bk1990 Amer. sl. orig. criminals’ usage – to kill someone
• BUMPSY
adj. 1611 – tipsy, intoxicated, drunk
• BUMPTERSHOOT
n. 1965 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUMPTIOUS
adj. 1803 colloq. – offensively self-conceited; self-assertive
• BUMPY
adj. 1917 – having many ups and downs or rough patches; fraught with difficulties, obstacles, etc.
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – the buttocks
• BUM RAP
n. 1. 1913 US sl. – a false criminal charge; undeserved punishment
n. 2. 1921 US sl. – an unjust criticism; an instance of being undeservedly blamed for something
vb. 1. 1942 sl., orig. & chiefly US – (as ‘bum-rap’) to criticize or disparage undeservedly
vb. 2. 1947 US sl. – (as ‘bum-rap’) to accuse someone of something falsely; to charge or convict falsely; to frame
• BUM-RIDING
n. 1967 Amer. dial. – hanging on to the bumper of a car and sliding along the icy streets
• BUM-RUSH
n. 1987 sl., orig. US, esp. African-American – a stampede or rush of people at a particular place or event; a scramble for something
vb. 1. 1924 sl., orig. US – to force a person or thing into a particular course or direction; to eject, to expel
vb. 2. 1987 orig. African-American – to force or barge one’s way into a place or event, as a rock concert, esp. as a part of a group or gang; to storm, to gatecrash
vb. 3. 1988 orig. African-American – to attack with a sudden, violent rush, esp. as a group or gang; to assail, to assault
• BUM-SHAVER
n. 1889 sl., chiefly Brit. – a short jacket (thought of as) not covering the buttocks
• BUMSHOOT
n. 1941 Amer. dial. – an umbrella
• BUM-SHOP
n. Bk1902 sl. – a brothel
• BUM-SHUFFLE
vb. 1986 colloq. – to move by inching or shuffling along while in a sitting position
• BUM-SICK TRAIN
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a train with a crew hostile to tramps
• BUMSKY
adj. 1916 Amer. dial. – of poor quality
• BUM SOMEONE OUT
vb. Bk1990 Amer. sl. – to discourage someone
• BUM SOMETHING OFF SOMEONE
vb. Bk1990 Amer. sl. – to beg or borrow something from someone
• THE BUM’S RUSH
n. 1910 sl., orig. US – first applied to forcibly ejecting someone from a place, and hence more generally to dismissing someone
• BUM-STARVER
n. 1889 sl., chiefly Brit. – a short jacket (thought of as) not covering the buttocks
• BUMSTEAD
n. 1966 Amer. dial. – a large sandwich, layered with various ingredients; a ‘dagwood’
• BUM STEER
n. 1. 1924 sl. – bad advice
n. 2. Bk1990 Amer. sl. – a false lead; false information
• BUMSTER
n. 1992 The Gambia – a young man who spends time (usually on the beach) approaching and talking to foreign tourists in an attempt to obtain money or other gifts; one who seeks romantic or sexual encounters with female tourists for this reason
• BUMSTERS
n. 1993 – trousers that are cut very low on the hips, so as to reveal the top of the wearer’s buttocks
• BUM-SUCK
vb. 1. 1918 Brit. sl., derogatory – to behave obsequiously towards; to toady; to curry favour with
vb. 2. 1993 sl. – to take a draw on a cigarette without inhaling the smoke
vb. 3. 1995 sl. – to spoil a cigarette, esp. a marijuana cigarette, but making it wet with saliva
• BUM-SUCKER
n. 1877 Brit. sl. – an obsequious person; a toady; a sycophant
• BUM-SUCKING
n. 1949 Brit. sl. – obsequious behaviour; toadying
• BUMSWIGGLE
vb. 1952 Amer. dial. – to surprise
• BUM TICKER
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a bad heart
• BUM TRIP
n. Bk1990 drug culture sl. – a bad drug experience
• BUM WAD
n. 1936 Amer. dial. – toilet paper, or anything else used for the same purpose
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Updated: February 26, 2023
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