stump

t. & i. [STUMP, 8.] A. Transitive: I. Ordinary Language: 1. To cut off a part of; to reduce to a stump. "Around the stumped top soft mo did grow." the toe. More: Song of the Soul, I. ii. 59. *2. To strike, as something fixed and hard, with 3. To challenge, to defy, to puzzle, to confound; to clear out of money. (Colloq.) Don't you know our history-haven't you heard, my dear fellow, we are stumped Stumped ,' said I, almost unconsciously repeating the quaint, but wofully expre ive word. 'Positively stomped ," said Daly. 'Don't speak loud. I thought, of course, you had heard of it. Blink in. sop has bolted." "-Theodore Hook. Gilbert Gurney, vol. iii., ch. ii. 4. To make a tour through or travel over, making speeches for electioneering or other purposes; as, to stump the country. II. Cricket : 3897 *1. To knock down, as a stump or stumps. 2. To put a batsman out of play by knocking off the bails, or knocking the stumps of his wicket down while he is out of his ground. (Formerly often used with out .) "The Captain stumped the next man off a leg-shooter." -Hughes: Tom Brown's Schooldays , pt. ii., ch. viii. B. Intransitive : 1. To walk stiffly, clumsily, or awkwardly. "Cymon, a clown, who never dreamt of love, By chance was stumping to the neighboring grove." Song of Cymon and Iphigenia . 2. To make electioneering or other speeches from the stump of a tree or other improvised platform. 1. To stump it : (1) To run off; to get away; to take to flight. ( Slang .) (2) To travel about making stump-speeches. 2. To stump up: To pay or hand over money. ( Slang .) "Why don't you ask your old governor to stump up ?"Dickens: Sketches by Boz ; Watkins Tottle .