Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MUMP, v.¹, n., adj. Also mamp; mumph; and irreg. nump.

I. v. 1. tr., absol. or intr. with at, to twitch the lips in a succession of rapid movements, esp. characteristic of the nibbling of a rabbit, sheep or toothless person (Sc. 1818 Sawers, mamp; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; w. and s.Sc., Uls. 1963). Obs. exc. dial. in Eng. Cf. Moup, v.¹, 1., Map, v.¹ Ppl.adjs., mumping, nibbling; mumpit, in comb. mumpit breid, oatcakes crumbled in milk (Bnff.² c.1930). Deriv. mumper, fig., a rabbit.Sc. 1748 Smollett Rod. Random xi.:
When he mumped or spoke they [his nose and chin] approached one another like a pair of nutcrackers.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 25, 150:
Close to the fur' she [hare] lays her downy wyme, An' mumps the verdant blade wi' lonely fear. . . . The downy mumper eager to destroy.Uls. 1804 J. Orr Poems (1936) 62:
Losh! how they rauner, rail, an' ripple Their nybers names, an' mumph an sipple!Ags. 1815 G. Beattie Poems (1882) 171:
Thrice wi' her teethless chafts she mumpit.Sc. 1819 Jacobite Relics (Hogg) I. 97:
He maun hame but stocking or shoe, To nump his neeps, his sybows, and leeks.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie i.:
A . . . wee cuddy . . . quietly mumping some green blades.Sc. 1880 J. Nicol Poems & Songs 167:
Jack and Pat, and Owen and Sandy, Mumping and crumping away at the candy.Clc. 1882 J. Walker Poems 63:
Set trapping-gins for luggy mumpers.Per. 1904 R. Ford Hum. Sc.Stories (Ser. 2) 108:
An' tied to a'e tether the twa mumpit fairly.

2. tr. or with at. To utter in an inarticulate manner, to mumble, mutter (Sc. 1903 E.D.D.). Gen.(exc.I.)Sc. Obs. in Eng.; to mouth one's words affectedly when attempting artificially refined speech (Slk. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 57:
I, wi' right an' reason on my side, Dare scarcely mump a word.Rnf. 1835 D. Webster Rhymes 167:
For in my brains there's sic a vacum, I canna mump thy merits, Ma'com.Abd. 1876 R. Dinnie Poems 55:
Is this the lass, whan wee and young, Wha mumpit at her mither tongue, But noo can French and English chat?

3. To grumble, to complain peevishly (Sc. 1818 Sawers, mamp; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Gen.(exc. I.)Sc.; to sulk, to mope around. Arch. in Eng.; to loaf around in a lackadaisical manner. Also mump and moan (mump Sh., Bnff., Abd., Ags., Fif., Edb., Gsw., Ayr Dmf, Rxb.; mump and moan Bnff., Abd., Fif., Gsw., Ayr., Dmf., Rxb. 2000s). Comb. mumpit-like, dazed, dull, stupefied (Sc. 1818 Sawers), which may however be due to conflation with mummed s.v. Mum, adj.Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems I. 188:
Whiles my plaint I mamp an' mummle.Sc. 1825 Scott Betrothed xvii.:
These antiquated dames went mumping about with much affected indifference.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie iii.:
Mumping ower the fire at night.Sc. 1883 Stevenson Letters (1901) I. 304:
It is better to enjoy a novel than to mump.Ags. 1893 Arbroath Guide (30 Dec.) 3:
For a' that I was sittin' mumpin' there, like a stucco' an' no ane to say cheep to me.Bwk. 1897 R. M. Calder Poems 225:
Let them mump an' grieve wha like it.Ayr. 1920 D. Cuthbertson Poems of the West 57:
And John oft mumps about the house, or dauners doun the toun.Sc. 1926 A. Muir Blue Bonnet vi.:
Hector . . . was silent . . . muckle McNab broke the silence. “We'll learn ye to mump”, he growled.Bnff. 1962 Banffshire Advert. (1 March):
A'm seek fed up o' ye mumpin' at ma shuther onywye.Abd. 1991 Douglas Kynoch in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 86:
Melpomene was mumpin
An her een were rubbit red.
She lookit unco dowie,
As gin somebody was deid. Arg. 1993:
Plenty tae mump an moan aboot. Sc. 1995 David Purves Hert's Bluid 48:
The deuks mumps on the frozen loch;
breistin the snell wund frae the north,
the maws keiks doun frae steive weings
at the deid land o Scotland.

4. To talk in an indirect, allusive or suggestive manner, as by means of whispers, gestures or grimaces (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 693, 1912 D. McNaught Kilmaurs 298; Bnff., Abd. 1963).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 183:
I know your meaning, by your mumping. I know by your Motions and Gestures what you would be at, and what you design.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) I. 246:
You thump, you mump, with face awray.Abd. 1787 A. Shirrefs Jamie & Bess III. i.:
Ye may speak plainer, lass, gin ye incline, As, by your mumping, I maist guess your mind.Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel xxxvii.:
The King . . . began to amble about the room mumping, laughing, and cracking jests.Per. 1904 R. Ford Hum. Sc. Stories (Ser. 2) 27:
The lassie's impatience to ken whether his meaning corresponded wi' his mumpin' or no.Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS.:
I wis mumpin sae, said she.

II. n. †1. An epithet for a toothless person.Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. I. 104:
Ye lied, ye limmers cries auld mump, For I hae baith a tooth and stump.

2. A word, a whisper, a surmise (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 693, 1903 E.D.D.; Bnff. 1963).Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 56:
Ae mump o' Douglas wad raise sic a din, As you nor 1 wad never lay again.Bnff. 1957 Bnff. Advertiser (21 Nov.):
“There's jist ae thing,” he went on. “Nae a word o' fit a've telt ye mun git ootside this caibin. Nae a mump.”

3. A grumbler (Sh., Bnff., Abd., Ags., Fif., Edb., Ayr., Dmf., Rxb. 2000s).Abd. 1993:
He's a richt mump.

III. adj. Doleful, depressed, sullen (Bnff., Abd., Edb., Ayr., Slk. 1963). Phs. rather a variant of Mum.Mry. 1870 W. Tester Poems 171:
We'll sing, whaun we'd sit mump an' mute. “We're happiest whan we're fou.”