1. to (cause to) go quickly off the ground with a springing movement. He jumped off the wall / across the puddle / over the fallen tree / into the swimming-pool; Don't jump the horse over that fence!

2. to rise; to move quickly (upwards). She jumped to her feet; He jumped into the car.

3. to make a startled movement. The noise made me jump.

4. to pass over (a gap etc) by bounding. He jumped the stream easily.

noun

1. an act of jumping. She crossed the stream in one jump.

2. an obstacle to be jumped over. Her horse fell at the third jump.

3. a jumping competition. the high jump.

4. a startled movement. She gave a jump when the door suddenly banged shut.

5. a sudden rise, eg in prices. There has been a jump in the price of potatoes.

ˈjumpy adjective

nervous; easily upset. He has been very jumpy and irritable lately.

jump at

to take or accept eagerly. He jumped at the chance to go to Germany for a fortnight.

jump for joy

to show great pleasure.

jump on

to make a sudden attack on. He was waiting round the corner and jumped on me in the dark.

jump the gun

to start before the proper time. We shouldn't be going on holiday till tomorrow, but we jumped the gun and caught today's last flight.

jump the queue

to move ahead of others in a queue without waiting for one's proper turn. Many wealthy or important people try to jump the queue for hospital beds.

jump to conclusions / jump to the conclusion that

to form an idea without making sure of the facts. He saw my case in the hall and jumped to the conclusion that I was leaving.

jump to it

to hurry up. If you don't jump to it you'll miss the train.

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

He must never start at what he sees, nor speak to other horses, nor bite, nor kick, nor have any will of his own; but always do his master's will, even though he may be very tired or hungry; but the worst of all is, when his harness is once on, he may neither jump for joy nor lie down for weariness.

View in context

When I'm goin' home to her on my day out I just jump for joy when I'm crossin' the moor."

View in context

So he went; and the remainder of the precious time was disturbed by twinges of conscience (to which I am much subject) whenever I found myself wanting to jump for joy. I went to look at the painters every time my feet were for taking me to look at the garden; I trotted diligently up and down the passages; I criticised and suggested and commanded more in one day than I had done in all the rest of the time; I wrote regularly and sent my love; but I could not manage to fret and yearn.

View in context

RACING sensation AP McCoy has jumped for joy over 4,000 times now here is your chance to jump for joy for PS100,000.

WIN PS100,000 ONLY PS2 ENTRY

"When you are outside in a beautiful place and you want to jump for joy it seems wrong to have clothes on" - TV presenter Kate Humble (pictured) on why she is "a private naturist."