WordGarden.iodump
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /dˈʌmp/
US
- /ˈdəmp/
Meanings
Verb
to drop, unload, or get rid of unwanted material
to end a romantic relationship with someone
to output, copy, or store data in bulk
Noun
a place where garbage or waste is left
(informal)a dirty, unpleasant, or shabby place
(slang)a vulgar or taboo slang term for an act of defecating
Beyond the definition
To "dump" something usually means to get rid of it by dropping, throwing, or leaving it somewhere. You can dump trash, dump a load of sand from a truck, or dump water out of a bucket. It often gives the sense that something is being moved quickly and without much care.
The word is also common in everyday social language. If someone dumps a partner, they end the relationship, often suddenly or in a cold way. You can also dump information on someone, meaning you give them too much at once. As a noun, a dump can mean a place where waste is taken, or, in casual speech, a place that feels dirty, ugly, or unpleasant.
The word "dump" has several meanings, but most of them grow from one simple picture: something is dropped, unloaded, or gotten rid of quickly. In physical use, it can mean throwing something away or emptying it out. You might dump old furniture by the roadside, dump soil from a truck, or dump water out of a container. In these cases, the word often suggests little care or a sudden action.
In personal life, "dump" is a common informal word for ending a romantic relationship. It usually sounds blunt and a little harsh. If someone says, "She dumped him," the idea is not just that the relationship ended, but that one person was left behind in a painful or careless way.
The word also appears in situations where too much is given all at once. Someone can dump information, problems, or work on another person, leaving them overwhelmed. A "dumping ground" can be a real place where rubbish is left, or a figurative one where unwanted duties, complaints, or troubles are pushed.
As a noun, a dump can be a garbage site or landfill. In casual speech, it can also mean a shabby or unpleasant place, as in "This apartment is a dump." In technical language, especially in computing, a dump is a stored copy of data, such as a memory dump, taken for analysis or debugging.
Across all these uses, the word carries the same basic feeling: something is being dropped, pushed away, or left behind, often in a heavy, sudden, or careless way.
Examples
- 1
Waste disposal
We dumped the old mattress at the recycling center.
- 2
Food preparation
She dumped the pasta into a bowl and added sauce.
- 3
Clutter
Please don't dump your bag in the middle of the hallway.
- 4
Garbage site
We used to take our trash to the town dump.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Heavy snowfall
The storm dumped snow on the city all night.
- 6
Breakup
She dumped him a week before the wedding.
- Phrasedump someone
end a romantic relationship with them
- 7
Unwanted responsibility
Don't dump all the work on me at the last minute.
- Patterndump X on someone
suddenly give them an unwanted job, problem, or responsibility
- 8
Emotional burden
He called me just to dump his problems on me again.
- Patterndump your problems on someone
talk about them in a way that feels too heavy
- 9
Exposition
The first chapter is mostly an info dump.
- Phraseinfo dump
a large amount of information given all at once
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- dumpnounverb
Forms
- dumpedpast tenseverbnoun
- dumping-ing formverbnoun
- dumpspluralnounverb