noun
- a blow with something thick and heavy, producing a dull sound; a heavy knock.
- the sound made by or as if by such a blow.
verb (used with object)
- to strike or beat with something thick and heavy, so as to produce a dull sound; pound.
- (of an object) to strike against (something) heavily and noisily.
- Informal. to thrash severely.
verb (used without object)
- to strike, beat, or fall heavily, with a dull sound.
- to walk with heavy steps; pound.
- to palpitate or beat violently, as the heart.
noun
- the sound of a heavy solid body hitting or pounding a comparatively soft surface
- a heavy blow with the handhe gave me a thump on the back
verb
- (tr) to strike or beat heavily; pound
- (intr) to throb, beat, or pound violentlyhis heart thumped with excitement
v.1530s, “to strike hard,” probably imitative of the sound made by hitting with a heavy object (cf. East Frisian dump “a knock,” Swedish dialectal dumpa “to make a noise”). Related: Thumped; thumping. n.1550s, from thump (v.).