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bumper jack

bumper jack

6.8
A tool that lifts a car by its bumper to change a tire
  • noun
  • /ˈbʌmpər dʒæk/
  • US
translation icon : gato de parachoques
  • She placed the bumper jack under the vehicle's bumper before starting the tire replacement.

Examples

  • She gives him her flashlight and camera, drops the mat on the ground, then sets the bumper jack in place under the center of the door.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • It is a law of physics that tends to make it achievable for us to lift a 4,000-pound automobile with a bumper jack.

    Blog text (29)
  • When Dad stands up from the bumper jack to rest for a moment, my mother steps in and teeters her full weight, such as it is, on the jack handle.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Then she opens her truck, rummaging inside, and returns with a bumper jack, a flashlight, and a rubber floor mat.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • To change the flat tire, he used a bumper jack to lift the car safely off the ground.

  • With the bumper jack in position, he easily lifted the car to inspect the damage underneath.

Synonyms

jack
vsbumper jack
27 4.8

A tool that lifts a car so you can change a tire

uses the vehicle's outer edge for lifting rather than general force application
jackscrew
vsbumper jack
  • Specialized
1 9.3

A device that uses a screw to lift or move heavy things

operates by contacting the vehicle's outer edge rather than by rotation
screw jack
vsbumper jack
  • Specialized
5.6

A tool that lifts heavy things by turning a screw, often used to raise a car

relies on the vehicle's outer edge contact instead of rotation to lift

Surface Forms

bumper jack singular
bumper jacks plural

Morphology

bumper + jack

The meaning is directly inferable from combining 'bumper' (part of a car) and 'jack' (a device for lifting): a jack that lifts a vehicle by its bumper. This straightforward noun–noun compounding follows common formation patterns and is likely understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Bumper jack comes from the simple image of a jack that hooks under a car's bumper. People used it to 'lift' the car by the bumper to 'change a tire' or make repairs, so today bumper jack means a tool for lifting a car by its bumper.