Dictionary

bumble puppy en · NOUN

Etymology

Of unknown origin.

Meanings

1. (historical, uncountable) A game in which players attempt to project metal balls into nine holes in a flat wooden board; nineholes.
2. (archaic, uncountable) Any of various childish or informal games.
   • Cecil was absent—one did not play bumble-puppy when he was there. 1908, EM Forster, A Room With A View, Penguin, published 2018, page 104:
3. (uncountable) A simplified form of whist; whist or bridge played unskilfully.
   • Templeton isn't the sort of chap to play bumble-puppy bridge with a girl like that unless he's getting something out of it. 1947, W. Somerset Maugham, Creatures of Circumstance:
4. (uncountable) Swingball or tetherball.

Forms

Deriveds

bumblepuppist