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Glite Dictionary
to be mumpish

to be mumpish

9.9
To feel quiet and unhappy when things do not go your way
  • phrasal verb
  • Archaic
translation icon : estar de mal humor
  • He tends to be mumpish whenever things don't go his way.

Examples

  • He tends to be mumpish when he's tired.

  • Please don't be mumpish about the change in plans.

  • After losing the game, she couldn't help but be mumpish for the rest of the evening.

  • Don't be mumpish during the party!

  • After losing the game, she couldn't help but be mumpish for the rest of the evening.

  • He tends to be mumpish whenever things don't go his way.

  • Please don't be mumpish about the change in plans.

Synonyms

to mump
vsto be mumpish
  • Archaic
9.9

To stay silent and show you are angry or upset

is a sulky mood rather than the action of sulking
to get glumpy
vsto be mumpish
  • UK
9.9

To feel sad and moody

is sulky in manner rather than mainly feeling down

Antonyms

cheerful
111 1.0

Happy in a way you show with a smile or friendly actions

joyful
70 1.0

Feeling or showing great happiness

How Sulky

sullenness
1 7.9
to sulk
42 3.5
to be mumpish
  • Archaic
9.9
low
336 1.0

Surface Forms

be mumpish infinitive
mumpished past
mumpished past participle
mumpishing present participle
mumpishes third person singular

Morphology

be + mumpish

This phrase is simply the copula 'be' plus an adjective: the MWE meaning ('to be sulky or gloomy') is exactly the adjectival state expressed by 'mumpish', so the sense is fully compositional. Note that 'mumpish' is rare or dialectal and may be unknown to B1 learners, but given the instruction to assume learners know the constituent words, the construction is transparent.

Etymology

Be mumpish may come from the old word mump, which meant to keep your mouth tight and frown. So, be mumpish came to mean 'to be sulky or gloomy', like someone who stays quiet with a frown.