Stump up


What's the meaning of the phrase 'Stump up'?

Pay for a purchase.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Stump up'?

This phrase derives from horse trading or other dealing where money was put onto a wooden post (stump) to display good faith in a cash deal. It is a variant of the expression ‘cash on the nail‘.

The Reverend William Carr published a glossary of the colloquial language of the Craven district of West Yorkshire in 1828, titled The Dialect of Craven, in which he defined ‘stump’ as a verb:

“Stump, to pay ready money,… to pay down on the nail.”

Trend of stump up in printed material over time

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Stump up

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