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Stumps

UK //stʌmps// US //stʌmps// Pronunciation

Definition

The part of a tree that remains above the ground after the tree is cut down.

Listen to definition

In simple words: The short part of a tree left after it is cut down.

Examples

• After the storm, many tree stumps were left in the park.
• The carpenter used the stumps to create a rustic table.
• In cricket, the bowler aims to hit the stumps to get the batsman out.
• She painted the tree stumps to make them look like art installations.
• We noticed that several stumps had started to rot in the garden.
• The children played around the stumps left from the fallen trees.
• He tripped over a stump while hiking in the woods.

Usage notes

Use 'stumps' to refer to tree-related contexts or in sports (cricket). Avoid using in casual conversation about unrelated topics.

Grammar pattern

standalone noun

Memory hint

Think of 'stump' as what’s left when something is chopped down - like a tree with a short base.

Collocations

• tree stumps
• fallen stumps
• wooden stumps

Synonyms

• base
• trunk
• remnant

Common mistakes

• Confused with 'stump' (singular) and 'stumps' (plural).
• Using 'stumps' as a verb when it is only a noun.
• Mistaking it for a different object or term.