Typos Hurt Your Writing: 12 four letter words that end with -ump

​Bump, Dump, Gump, Hump, Jump, Lump, Mump, Pump, Rump, Sump, Tump, and Yump

Welcome to this edition of Words For Thought, the blog at wordrefiner.com. Like some of the previous blogs, we are exploring typographical errors. Words that look almost the same, but have different spellings and meanings. To find more of these on Twitter, search for the hashtag: #TyposHurtYourWriting.
I understand how important it is to have a manuscript free of spelling errors. With over 40 years of experience, I have found that typos give many writers problems. Less than perfect typing can create hidden mistakes. I find these typos and other spelling slip-ups in 95% of published books.
There are many groups of words that vary by only one letter, such as came, dame, fame, and game. The correctly spelled word in the wrong context will not be flagged by most spell-checkers. The Hyper-Speller at Word Refiner is dedicated to exposing these hidden gaffes and delivering your document free of spelling blunders.

Now, onto today’s episode!

We have 12 different four-letter words that end with -ump. That means you have 11 opportunities to create a hidden error that won’t be found by many spell checkers. Let’s look at this list of terrible typos.
 
Bump is a very busy word! It works as a noun and a verb, a physically active word as well as archaic and internet slang. A light strike of your elbow can cause funny feelings, a jolting collision, a bulge in an otherwise smooth surface, a small increase in sales, roughly textured fabric used as a lining. Overbooking a commercial airline flight can result in passengers being denied a reserved seat. Roller derby displays a considerable amount of jolting and banging of participants. A drunk in the early 17th century or moving an internet post back to the top of the list.
Dump is more prosaic. It has mostly to do with disposing of garbage or storing materials such as ammunition for the military. It also refers to moving computer data off the network, a hard drive, or off-site. It can also refer to a place as undesirable to be in. A boy might abandon his girlfriend, a country might export goods at an artificially low price, and a frustrated student might drop textbooks at the front door for no good reason.
Gump is mostly a foolish or dim-witted person. Part of the title of a book and movie called “Forrest Gump”, a story about a simple-minded man with good intentions who gets involved in significant historical events by happenstance.
Hump is a rounded protuberance on the back of a camel or some other beast. It can also refer to an abnormality on a person’s back. It can also be a small round mound of earth. As slang it means to carry something over a distance or sexual intercourse.
Jump has many definitions. Push yourself off the ground with your legs. Go over a barrier. Certain athletic competitions include this activity, some with horses. Dramatic or unexpected increases in economic activity. Jumping the gun means leaving the starting line before the proper time. When a person is mugged. Most of us jump when startled. You capture an opponent’s checker. Start a car using battery cables from another car.
Lump is a relatively small mass of a substance, usually irregular in shape. It can be a bump under the skin caused by an injury or disease. A large, slow-witted person. You can group several things together with little regard for distinct differences. I don’t care if you like it or lump it, I am getting my job done.
Mump is a word that may be more familiar to speakers of British English. It means to cheat, mumble, and imitate. Archaic definitions include begging.
Pump is a device designed to move liquids, and gases, or fill a tire with air. Trying to extract information by persistent questioning. Before the advent of ABS, pumping the brakes of a car was good advice to avoid or rectify a skid. A vigorous and prolonged handshake feels like you are being pumped. Finally, a particular design of women’s shoes, low cut, no strap, and a low to medium heel.
Rump is the hind part of an animal or the lower back of a bird. Also a person’s buttocks.
Sump is a pit or hollow that collects water. Many homeowners have sump pumps under their homes to move the water away that would otherwise collect with deleterious effect to the structure.
Tump is another British English term. It refers to a small rounded hill or a clump of trees or vegetation.
Yump is a term from road rally racing, probably British English, it refers to the moment when the wheels of a vehicle leave the ground after cresting a hill at high speed. It sounds suspiciously like the word jump, with a foreign accent. What do you think?
 
There they are, 12 words with similar sounds and the same last three letters.  If you use the wrong word, the reader could feel like they lost their footing and fell down,  as they read your book. They may feel like leaving your story because it is too hard to figure out what you are trying to say.  Do everything in your power to prevent that from happening, do not give your reader a reason to close your book. Use Word Refiner, beta readers, critique partners, proofreaders and editors to ensure that your work is error free and as smooth reading as possible.
 
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this issue of Typos Hurt Your Writing on Words For Thought.  Follow me on twitter: @wordrefiner; for more Hazardous Homophones and Terrible Typos search for #HomophonesHurtYourWriting and #TyposHurtYourWriting on twitter.
Don’t forget the free sample of “proofreading your book” for writers under the “Learn More” tab on http://www.wordrefiner.com/.
I offer another service at a great value, see the “Review Your Book” tab.

Remember: Words Have Meaning and Spelling Makes a Difference. 
Copyright © 2017 Mark L Schultz ​