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jump
/dʒʌmp/
move off the ground
The cat jumped onto the windowsill.
The cat moved off the ground onto the windowsill.
general
to push oneself off a surface and into the air using the muscles in one's legs and feet
He jumped over the puddle to avoid getting his shoes wet.
He pushed himself off the ground to clear the puddle.
Can also describe sudden movement upward or forward.
general
to move suddenly and quickly in a specified direction
She jumped when she heard the loud noise.
She moved suddenly in response to the noise.
Often implies surprise or shock.
general
to make a sudden transition or change
The price of oil jumped by 10% overnight.
The price of oil made a sudden increase.
Common in finance and economics.
general
a sudden leap or bound
The horse cleared the fence with a single jump.
The horse made a single leap over the fence.
Can also refer to a physical obstacle or barrier.
general
a sudden increase or rise
There was a jump in sales after the new product launch.
Sales experienced a sudden increase after the launch.
Often used in business and statistics.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Collocations
Remember 'jump rope' (exercise), 'jump to conclusions' (assume without evidence), and 'jump the queue' (skip a line unfairly). These are frequently used in everyday English.
Gold Rule
Verb vs. Noun
Use 'jump' as a verb for actions (e.g., 'The dog jumped') and as a noun for the act itself or the obstacle (e.g., 'The horse cleared the jump').
Word Origin
Middle English: from Old French *jump* (noun), *jumpen* (verb), of unknown origin. Compare with Middle Dutch *jompen* 'to jump'.
Usage Notes
As a verb, 'jump' is often used with prepositions like 'over', 'onto', or 'into' to describe direction. The noun form can refer to both the act of jumping and the obstacle jumped.
English Dictionary