thump
thump — verb
1. To strike something hard so that it produces a low, dull sound — for example, hi
To strike something hard so that it produces a low, dull sound — for example, hitting a table with your fist, or a heavy object falling onto a floor.
Hao thumped the table with his open hand to get everyone's attention.
thump + object + with + body part
The old man's heavy bag thumped against his leg as he walked down the street.
thump + against + surface (intransitive use)
A large coconut thumped onto the tin roof of the shed during the storm.
Christopher thumped the side of the vending machine when it would not give him his drink.
- thump the table
- thump the door
- thump against
- thump onto
- thump with a fist
Grammar Patterns
thump + object (surface/container)
thump + object + with + body part/object
thump + against/onto + surface
Usage Note
The object is typically a broad, hard surface (table, door, wall) or a container that resonates when struck. In the intransitive use the subject is a heavy object falling or moving against a surface.
Common Mistakes
2. To strike someone using a clenched fist, often because you are angry or want to
To strike someone using a clenched fist, often because you are angry or want to cause them pain.
The bully threatened to thump Aarav if he told the teacher what had happened.
threaten to thump + person
In the old film, the hero thumped the villain on the jaw and knocked him down.
Samir wanted to thump the bully who had insulted his sister, but he controlled his temper.
Romi got thumped by a boy in the schoolyard and went home with a black eye.
passive: get thumped by + person
- thump someone
- thump someone on the back/arm/head
- get thumped
- threaten to thump
Grammar Patterns
thump + person
thump + person + on + body part
get thumped (passive)
Usage Note
Very common in British English as an informal threat ('I'll thump you!'). The passive form ('get thumped') is frequently used to describe the result of a fight. Less common in formal or academic writing.
Common Mistakes
3. A head that thumps hurts with a steady, pounding pain that matches the rhythm of
A head that thumps hurts with a steady, pounding pain that matches the rhythm of your pulse — common when you are sick, exhausted, or recovering from a very noisy environment.
After two hours in the noisy factory, Élise's head began to thump.
head + begin to thump (after noise)
After pulling an all-nighter to finish his project, Kenji's head thumped with every beat of his pulse.
head + thumps with + rhythm (cause clause fronted)
Hui woke up with a thumping headache after the long flight across several time zones.
The loud music at the concert made Tuan's head thump for the rest of the night.
- head thumps
- thumping headache
- wake with a thumping head
- head begins to thump
Grammar Patterns
head + thumps
head + begins to thump
thumping + headache
Usage Note
Only used with 'head' as the subject or in the compound 'thumping headache'. Not used for other body parts (a tooth, a knee, etc.). For other body parts, use 'throb' instead.
Common Mistakes
4. A heart that thumps beats with unusual force and speed — far above its normal re
A heart that thumps beats with unusual force and speed — far above its normal resting rhythm — due to fear, excitement, nervousness, or physical exertion.
Antonia's heart thumped with excitement as she waited for the exam results to be announced.
heart + thumps with + emotion
Nala's heart was thumping so loudly she thought everyone in the room could hear it.
His heart thumped against his ribs after running up six flights of stairs.
heart + thumps + against (physical exertion)
Ilan felt his heart thump wildly when he saw a snake on the path ahead of him.
- heart thumps
- heart thumps with fear/excitement
- heart begins to thump
- feel heart thump
- heart thumps wildly
Grammar Patterns
heart + thumps
heart + thumps + with + emotion
heart + begins to thump
feel + heart + thump
Usage Note
Common in narrative descriptions of fear, excitement, or romantic moments ('Her heart thumped as he walked towards her'). Also used to describe the effect of strenuous exercise. The adverb 'wildly' is a frequent collocate.
Common Mistakes
5. To beat an opponent in a sports match by such a wide margin that the other side
To beat an opponent in a sports match by such a wide margin that the other side has little chance of catching up — for example, winning by many goals or points.
The visiting team thumped the local champions forty-two to fifteen in front of a stunned home crowd.
thump + opponent + score to score
The national rugby team thumped their rivals five tries to one in front of a big crowd.
Emre's team got thumped in the final match and finished at the bottom of the league.
passive: get thumped in + match/competition
The underdog team thumped three higher-ranked opponents in a single weekend to win the cup.
- thump the opposition
- thump a team
- get thumped
- thumped by a big margin
- thump + team + in the final
- lose to
opposite outcome
- be beaten by
opposite of 'thump' in sports
Grammar Patterns
thump + opponent
thump + opponent + by + score
thump + opponent + score + to + score
get thumped (passive)
Usage Note
Especially common in British sports commentary and newspaper headlines. The passive form 'get thumped' is very frequent for describing a one-sided loss. Not used in American English — 'trounce' or 'crush' would be used instead.
Common Mistakes
thump — noun
1. A low, dull sound made when something heavy hits a surface or another object — l
A low, dull sound made when something heavy hits a surface or another object — like the noise a large book makes when it falls onto a wooden floor.
There was a loud thump as the heavy book fell from the top shelf to the desk.
loud thump + as + object falls
Around midnight, Mrs. Okafor heard a heavy thump from the storage room and went to check what had fallen.
heavy thump from + location (with reaction)
The old wooden box landed with a thump on the concrete floor of the garage.
land with a thump
A sudden thump on the front door made everyone in the room jump up in surprise.
- loud thump
- heavy thump
- with a thump
- land with a thump
- hear a thump
- thump on the door
Grammar Patterns
a thump
with a thump
hear a thump
land with a thump
Usage Note
Often used after verbs of falling or impact: 'land with a thump', 'fall with a thump', 'hear a thump'. Also used for mysterious knocking sounds ('a thump at the door').
2. The action of hitting someone or something hard, especially with a closed hand.
The action of hitting someone or something hard, especially with a closed hand.
The old man gave the gate a thump to knock the rust loose from the hinges.
give + object + a thump
Antonia felt a sudden thump on her shoulder and turned around to see who was there.
The librarian gave the thick encyclopedia a thump to push it back into place on the shelf.
give + object + a thump (to achieve result)
Reuben received a painful thump on the arm during the scuffle outside the school gates.
receive a thump on + body part
- give a thump
- a thump on the back/arm/shoulder
- receive a thump
- a painful thump
- pat
gentle, friendly touch
Grammar Patterns
give + object + a thump
a thump on + body part
receive a thump
Usage Note
Most commonly appears in the construction 'give someone/something a thump'. The sound sense (noun sense 1) is far more frequent in everyday use than the action sense.