clumper

English

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈklʌmpə/
(General American) IPA^(key): /ˈklʌmpɚ/
Rhymes: -ʌmpə(ɹ)

Etymology 1

From clump +‎ -er.

Noun

clumper (plural clumpers)

Something that forms clumps.
- 1972, Richard Lee Hoover, An Analysis of Cellular Adhesion and Surface Membranes in a Small Amoeba, page 85:
  The clumper, MP, had no glucosyltransferase activity on the surface but did in the Golgi, while the non-clumper, HR, had it on the surface and not in the Golgi.
- 1981, Patricia Marie Walsh, Characterization of Conjugal Plasmid Transfer in Streptococcus Lactis ML3, page 61:
  […] the same molecualr ^[sic] weight as a clumper did not aggregate in broth (Fig. 4) .
- 2008, Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, page 351:
  in the case of spreading versus clumping eggs, when the average fitness is calculated for a large number of spreaders, the issue of individual variance in reproductive success vanishes. Put another way, the contribution to the overall average fitness by a clumper who loses her nest and produces zero offspring is exactly offset by a successful clumper that produces a whole brood ( see also Hopper et al. 2003 )
1. A grass or other plant that tends to form clumps.
  - 1997, Hans de Kroon, The Ecology and Evolution of Clonal Plants, page 167:
    Bell compared the success of two species with contrasting architecture (a clumper and a runner form) as they grew either in competition with each other or alone.
  - 2002, Chad Hershock, Plant Community Structure in Calcareous Fens, page 97:
    In contrast, clumper growth may have decreased in marl because they are less physiologically integrated, limiting the clonal growth of ramets produced in resource-poor marl patches.
  - 2007 July 5, Anne Raver, “A Cane the World Can Lean On”, in New York Times‎^[1]:
    Bamboo can be as delicate as the umbrella bamboo, Fargesia murieliae, a clumper with soft pea-green foliage and a weeping habit, or as heroic as Phyllostachys edulis, whose sturdy olive-green canes can grow 70 feet in a single season.
2. One who generalizes or finds commonalities, as opposed to one who focuses on identifying differences
  - 1979, Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy:
    As an old clumper myself, I'm just now beginning to see how I must sometimes split and next time I want to tell you more about that.'
  - 2005, Central States Archaeological Journal - Volume 52, page 182:
    The archaeologist stated, "It all depends on whether you were a splitter or a clumper, and asked what was I?" I replied "I was a clumper and did not see any purpose in misnaming artifacts for the sale of posters."
  - 2011, Charles François, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, page 90:
    Systemists tend to be clumpers, but it should be very risky for them to ingnore the laborious works of the splitters.
A part of a device that is used for the formation of clumps.
- 1912, T, Allerton S. Cushman, George W. Coggeshall, “he Production of Available Potash from The Natural Silicites”, in Journal of the Franklin Institute, page 671:
  This was then pumped up to an elevated tank and piped from there through a constant-level tank to the dropper tubes of the clumper placed in a row above the drum.
The larger claw of a lobster.
- 2014, Simon Wills, Lifeboatmen:
  "Reckon he's getting on for five pounds," said Richard eagerly. "Look at the size of that clumper claw ! " The two asymmetric claws of the lobster were known as the pincher and the clumper, and the clumper was always bigger .
(Newfoundland) Synonym of clumpet (“floating piece of sea ice”)
- 1918, Norman Duncan, Battles Royal Down North, page 203:
  An' the glow was the light of our fire, which had come close t' my father's place; for—look you—my father's clumper was heavy an' slow t' move, an' the pans o' the floe, whipped t' racin' speed by the wind, was drivin' past, with the win'ward edge o' the ice overhaulin' that clumper all the while.
- 1924, George Allan England, The White Wilderness: A Story of the Great Newfoundland, page 22:
  All he wanted now was to rest a little; just to sit down awhile, behind a clumper, to stretch out his tormented legs, to lie back a few minutes.
- 1990, Farley Mowat, The New Founde Land, page 207:
  The worse thing I seen was when I tried to get another pan and I fell over a clumper. Only it warn't no clumper. 'Twas Reuben Crewe and his son, froze together, and the old fellow's arms tight around the lad, and the lad's head buried under his father's jacket.
A heavy percussive noise, like that of heavy footfalls.
- 2014, Michael Glover, The Fateful Battle Line, page 133:
  Anyone who paused for a moment in this wasteland would hear the everlasting, clump, clump, clump; clump, clumper, clumper-clump of heavy boots on raised boards.
One who clumps; one who walks with a clumping gait.
- 1929, New York State Education - Volume 16, Issues 1-2, page 442:
  do you turn your toes out and walk on the inside of your feet to avoid discomfort? In other words, are you a clumper?
- 1995, Guy Slaughter, Unprotected Witness, page 62:
  Must be a different guard, this clump-clumper, he thought, sitting up on the cot and rubbing the sleep from his eyes with the backs of his hands.
- 2020, Randal Graham, Afterlife Crisis:
  The clumper's identity was revealed. At least, it was revealed to me, this famed clumper and opener- of-doors being one who didn't himself have any idea who he really was.
A heavy boot or shoe.
- 1903 October, A. E. Johnson, “A Thousand Miles in a Trawler”, in The Wide World Magazine, volume 11, number 66, page 600:
  A picture for a painter, this: the gang of brawny giants in brine-stained guernseys and thick woollen stockings pulled over their trousers, seated round the small table, beneath the dim lamp, which perhaps lit up dingily the bulky form of some prostrate sleeper in the bunks, devouring their food in hungry silence, or noisily chaffing the luckless "Shad" and his grimy serviette, with ever and anon a fresh pair of clumper-shod legs descending the steep ladder, as a new arrival came down from the deck.
- 1905, Robert Caldwell, The Prevention of Disease in Armies in the Field, page 128:
  Men state that they much prefer the old 'clumper' boot for comfort.
- 1988, Olga Pyne Clarke, A Horse in My Kit Bag, page 147:
  It was now getting colder, so I opted for men's long woollen stockings and a very old pair of riding breeches, the Y clumper shoes and my oldest British Warm with an Irish flash sewn on it .
(Australia) A horse that comes from a heavy breed, such as a part-Clydesdale.
- 1951, Jean Devanny, Travels in North Queensland, page 147:
  One of two such brought in during my visit was an unbroken seven-year-old mare of the clumper breed.
- 2006, Marion Houldsworth, Maybe It'll Rain Tomorrow, page 60:
  A bronco horse, well, you can generally just get one out of the mustering horses, long as he's got a bit of weight on him; a clumper sort of fella .
- 2010, Brian Taylor, A Swag of Memories: Australian bush stories:
  'Right,' said Mick, 'she might have just a touch of clumper, but I agree she's worth a look.'
- 2014, Jeff Hill, Horsebells and Hobblechains, page 252:
  He caught this big brown half clumper horse and finally got a saddle on him.

Etymology 2

Compare German klumpern (“to clod”). See clump (noun).

Verb

clumper (third-person singular simple present clumpers, present participle clumpering, simple past and past participle clumpered)

(obsolete, intransitive) To form into clumps or masses.
- 1647, Henry More, A Platonick Song of the Soul:
  Vapours […] clumper'd in balls of clouds.
- 1862, William Allingham, Nightingale Valley, page 186:
  An' dere at evemen, I da goo, A-hoppèn auver ghiates an' bars, By twinklen light o' winter stars, When snow da clumper to my shoe;
- 1891, Elizabeth Robinson, “The Pearl of Practice”, in Popular Science Monthly and World's Advance, volume 39, number 13, page 242:
  […] then let it cool, and put in the Camphire and four ounces of Venice turpentine drop by drop, lest it clumper, stirring it continually, then make it up into Rolls, and do with it to the pleasure of God , and health of man.
To move heavily; to clomp or clump.
- 1991, Alexander Buzo, Prue Flies North, page 68:
  The palms of TV looked especially welcome as the plane clumpered down on a hazy tarmac in a greenish, weedy field.
- 2000, Westerly - Volumes 45-46, page 131:
  As the tired horse clumpered into Dark, I ate the wursttail, arranged bread, butter and milk for pastor, so he not need to go to bed hungry.
- 2005, JT Petty, Clemency Pogue: Fairy Killer, page 73:
  The soft tumbling patter of four-footed steps clumpered up behind the girl and the hobgoblin, and Chester walked up and sat between them, watching the bitter, bouncing boy.
To make a clumping noise.
- 1890, Daniel Pierce Thompson, Gaut Gurley, Or The Trappers of Umbagog, page 221:
  The cold, indeed, was now becoming so intense as to congeal and skim over all the pools and still eddies of the river, and make solid ice along the shores of the rapid currents of the stream; while even the ground was fast becoming so frozen as to clumper and sound beneath the hurrying tread of our anxious travellers .

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