draw stumps

English

Etymology

From the game of cricket, where a day's play is terminated by the umpire drawing the stumps out of the ground.

Pronunciation

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Verb

draw stumps (third-person singular simple present draws stumps, present participle drawing stumps, simple past drew stumps, past participle drawn stumps)

1. (cricket, of the umpires) To declare an end to the day's play, and remove the bails and sometimes the stumps.
2. (idiomatic) To cease doing something, at least for the day.

Related terms

• pull up stumps