stump
noun
[ stʌmp ]
• the bottom part of a tree left projecting from the ground after most of the trunk has fallen or been cut down.
• each of the three upright pieces of wood which form a wicket.
• a cylinder with conical ends made of rolled paper or other soft material, used for softening or blending marks made with a crayon or pencil.
• used in relation to political campaigning.
• "his jibes at his opponents may have won him some support on the stump early in his campaign"
stump
verb
• (of a question or problem) be too hard for; baffle.
• "education chiefs were stumped by some of the exam questions"
Similar:
baffle,
perplex,
puzzle,
confuse,
confound,
bewilder,
mystify,
nonplus,
defeat,
be too much for,
put at a loss,
bring up short,
flummox,
fox,
be all Greek to,
throw,
floor,
discombobulate,
wilder,
gravel,
maze,
obfuscate,
• walk stiffly and noisily.
• "he stumped away on short thick legs"
Similar:
stomp,
stamp,
clomp,
clump,
lumber,
trudge,
plod,
thump,
thud,
bang,
thunder,
sprauchle,
• (of a wicketkeeper) dismiss (a batsman) by dislodging the bails with the ball while the batsman is out of the crease but not running.
• travel around (a district) making political speeches.
• "there is no chance that he will be well enough to stump the country"
• use a stump on (a drawing, line, etc.).
Origin:
Middle English (denoting a part of a limb remaining after an amputation): from Middle Low German stump(e ) or Middle Dutch stomp . The early sense of the verb was ‘stumble’.
