Dictionary

lumpily en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /ˈlʌmpɪli/

Etymology

From lumpy + -ly.

Meanings

1. In a lumpy manner, with lumps.
   • I had no idea that anything in the shape of a horse could be so limp as that, either living or dead. His wild mane hung down lumpily, a mere mass of inanimate horsehair; his aggressive ears had collapsed, but as he went swaying slowly across the front of the bridge I noticed an astute gleam in his dreamy, half-closed eye. 1912, Joseph Conrad, chapter 4, in A Personal Record:
   • An hour later, he had paid about $3.25, been talked through the workings of a small bank of stainless-steel machines, and was leaving with a bag of fluffy if lumpily folded clothes. 2011 February 1, Stephanie Nolen, “India makes a clean start with first laundromat”, in The Globe and Mail:
2. Like a lump; awkwardly, heavily, ponderously.
   • What ever became of the chaos in Laos? Last year at this time the pro-Communist Pathet Lao were strutting lumpily across the Plain of Jars in their dun-colored uniforms, proudly triumphant over the “neutralist” forces of General Kong Le and threatening to overrun the entire country. 1965 June 11, “The Silent Sideshow”, in Time:
   • He'd stuck his hands in his pockets as I came in, and he sat down lumpily in his chair. 1897, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “chapter 4”, in The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance, New York, N.Y.; London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC:
   • This extraordinary life probably needed a solidly presented non-fiction film; what we have here is an odd and lumpily constructed drama-doc with daytime-telly production values, featuring some very hammy acting and direction. 2015 December 3, Peter Bradshaw, “The Honourable Rebel review – lustrous life of an aristo adventuress”, in The Guardian:
   • “You’ll feel better when you’ve drunk this’m,” said the parlourmaid lumpily, pouring out some tea. 1922, Arnold Bennett, Lilian, Part IV, Chapter 1:

Forms