thump

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a heavy dull sound, as made by impact of heavy objects

   Did you hear that thump in the middle of the night?

2. 2
   noun

   A blow that produces a muffled sound.

   ... and so the universal thump is passed round, and all hands should rub each other’s shoulder-blades, and be content.

3. 3
   noun

   The sound of such a blow; a thud.

   An interesting feature of the church is the invisible clock, which you can hear thumping away as you enter. Constructed in 1525, it is one of the oldest timepieces in England. It chimes the hours and the quarters, and every three hours it plays a hymn. But it has no faces.

4. 4
   noun

   Used to replace the vulgar or blasphemous element in "what the hell" and similar phrases.

   Where the thump have you been?!

5. 5
   verb

   To hit (someone or something) as if to make a thump.

   These bastard Bretons, whom our fathers / Have in their own land beaten, bobb'd, and thump'd.

6. 6
   verb

   To cause to make a thumping sound.

   The cat thumped its tail in irritation.

7. 7
   verb

   To throb with a muffled rhythmic sound.

   Dance music thumped from the nightclub entrance.

8. 8
   noun

   a heavy blow with the hand

Etymology

Mid 16th century, probably imitative.