pump

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a device that raises, transfers, delivers, or compresses fluids or that attenuates gases especially by suction or pressure or both
2
: heart
3
: an act or the process of pumping
4
: an energy source (such as light) for pumping atoms or molecules
5
: a biological mechanism by which atoms, ions, or molecules are transported across cell membranes compare sodium pump

pump

2 of 3

verb

pumped; pumping; pumps

intransitive verb

1
: to work a pump : raise or move a fluid with a pump
2
: to exert oneself to pump or as if to pump something
3
: to move in a manner that resembles the action of a pump handle

transitive verb

1
a
: to raise (something, such as water) with a pump
b
: to draw fluid from with a pump
2
: to pour forth, deliver, or draw with or as if with a pump
pumped money into the economy
pump new life into the classroom
3
a
: to question persistently
pumped him for the information
b
: to elicit by persistent questioning
4
a
: to operate by manipulating a lever
b
: to manipulate as if operating a pump handle
pumped my hand warmly
c
: to cause to move with an action resembling that of a pump handle
a runner pumping her arms
5
: to transport (something, such as ions) against a concentration gradient by the expenditure of energy
6
a
: to excite (atoms or molecules) especially so as to cause emission of coherent monochromatic electromagnetic radiation (as in a laser)
b
: to energize (something, such as a laser) by pumping

pump

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a shoe that grips the foot chiefly at the toe and heel
especially : a close-fitting woman's dress shoe with a moderate to high heel
Phrases
pump iron
: to lift weights

Examples of pump in a Sentence

Verb He pumped the water up from the bottom of the boat. The machine suddenly stopped pumping. We pumped the boat dry. We had to pump the basement out. Your heart pumps blood all over your body. I could feel the blood pumping through my veins. Blood pumped out of the cut.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Gradient uses a less potent refrigerant than the standard R-410A for its pump, which will be available in the U.S. before the summer of 2022. Sabrina Weiss, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024 These pumps absorb heat from the air outside and release it inside, reducing energy use by up to 55 percent. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024 Many use concentrates or powders – Starbucks’ popular chai latte is made with pumps of chai concentrate. Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 In a clinical trial, the unique pump extracted almost twice as much milk on average as the most popular pumps on the market. Sydney Page, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024 More big stories Mystery surrounds the sudden increase in steelhead trout deaths near California water pumps. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 India Solar pumps are helping women grow diverse crops and gain economic independence from men. Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar. 2024 To add a bit of timeless flair, Stewart wore a pair of black Christian Louboutin pumps. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 With just three laps left, the hydraulic pump failed on Hill’s car; he was stuck in third gear and Jacques Villeneuve, of Williams, passed him in the final lap and won the race with Hill finishing second. Brad Spurgeon, Robb Report, 11 Mar. 2024
Verb
The musician first teased the song on TikTok with a quick sketch of a coffee-drinking, chain-smoking skeleton pumping it through its headphones. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 22 Mar. 2024 Most notably, guests can step into the world of Barbie and experience the adrenaline pumping world of Hot Wheels, alongside other beloved and familiar brands, including Pictionary and UNO. Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 21 Mar. 2024 Second, pump some juice back into a once fearsome pass rush. Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024 It’s pumped roughly DKK 600 million ($87 million) into the initial costs on this project, which will be used by Denmark’s public and private sector researchers. Chris Morris, Fortune Europe, 20 Mar. 2024 To achieve that, engineering oceanographer Daniel Harrison from Southern Cross University and his team fitted a research vessel with a turbine to pump water out of the ocean. Sabrina Weiss, WIRED, 20 Mar. 2024 The United States is pumping more oil than any country in history and OPEC+ has the firepower to add supply, if needed. Matt Egan, CNN, 18 Mar. 2024 Over the next few years, it is projected to hurtle past the national oil companies of China, Russia and Kuwait, leaving only Saudi Arabia’s and Iran’s pumping more than Petrobras by 2030. Max Bearak, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 Prolonged droughts adversely affect costs if suppliers need to buy a more expensive water supply, pump water from deeper underground or add treatment processes to clean degraded supplies, researchers with the Pacific Institute and the organization Dig Deep said in a recent report. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pump.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English pumpe, pompe; akin to Middle Low German pumpe pump, Middle Dutch pompe

Noun (2)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1508, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1555, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pump was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near pump

Cite this Entry

“Pump.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pump. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pump

1 of 3 noun
: a device that raises, transfers, delivers, or compresses fluids especially by suction or pressure or both

pump

2 of 3 verb
1
: to raise, transfer, or compress by means of a pump
pump up water
2
: to free (as from water or air) by the use of a pump
pump a boat dry
3
: to fill by using a pump
pump up a tire
4
: to draw, force, or drive onward in the manner of a pump
the heart pumps blood into the arteries
5
: to move up and down like a pump handle
pump the hand of a friend
6
a
: to question again and again to find out something
b
: to draw out by such questioning
pumper noun

pump

3 of 3 noun
: a low shoe gripping the foot chiefly at the toe and heel

Medical Definition

pump

1 of 2 noun
1
: a device that raises, transfers, or compresses fluids or that attenuates gases especially by suction or pressure or both
2
: heart
3
: an act or the process of pumping
4
: an energy source (as light) for pumping atoms or molecules
5
: a mechanism by which atoms, ions, or molecules are transported across cell membranes see proton pump, sodium pump

pump

2 of 2 intransitive verb
: to work a pump : raise or move a fluid with a pump

transitive verb

1
: to raise (as water) with a pump
2
: to draw fluid from with a pump
3
: to transport (as ions) against a concentration gradient by the expenditure of energy
4
a
: to excite (as atoms or molecules) especially so as to cause emission of coherent monochromatic electromagnetic radiation (as in a laser)
b
: to energize (as a laser) by pumping

More from Merriam-Webster on pump

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