1864. Derby Day, 12. Acting upon the gamblers’ favourite axiom,
that if you venture nothing you win nothing, he lumped it all upon
an outsider, and backed him to win the Chester Cup.
1891. Licensed Vict. Gaz., 3 April. Had laid against Cortolvin for
the Grand National while lumping it down on Lecturer had not done
much to repair his losses.
To knock lumps out of, verb. phr. (theatrical).—To command a great deal
of applause.
1885. Coun, Nutts about the Stage, p. 12. We knock lumps out of
them in these parts, don’t we Mac?
To lump the lighter, verb. phr. (old).—To be transported.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
Lumper, subs. (old).—1. A riverside labourer; (2) a riverside thief,
and (3) a contractor in a small way for labour and materials for
unloading and loading ships. See quots.
1781. G. Parker, View of Society, ii. 78. They then commence
lumpers, which is skulking about ships, lighters, etc. hanging
about quays, wharfs, etc. stealing old iron, fruit, sugar, or
whatever comes to hand.
1796. Colquhoun, Police of the Metropolis, p. 57. The prevailing
practice of discharging and delivering the cargoes of ships by a
class of aquatic labourers, known by the name of lumpers.
1851–61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. & Lon. Poor, ii. 374. ‘The men to
whom it is sublet only find labour, while the lumper, or first
contractor, agrees for both labour and materials.’ Ibid. ii. p.
107. Then the lumpers, or those engaged in discharging the timber
ships.
1853. Dickens, Down with the Tide, in Reprinted Pieces, p. 268.
Then there were the lumpers, or labourers employed to unload
vessels. They wore loose canvas jackets with a broad hem in the
bottom, turned inside, so as to form a large circular pocket in
which they could conceal, like clowns in pantomimes, packages of
surprising sizes.... The lumpers dispose of their booty easily to
marine store dealers.... lumpers also smuggle goods ashore for the
crews of vessels.