# "Like it or lump it": do you know what this phrase means? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215 "2012-04-18T23:13:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/21 "2012-04-19T01:41:10Z")
Also common here in Central NC. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/22 "2012-04-19T01:42:04Z")
Philly area. I’ve been hearing it for years, probably my whole life. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/23 "2012-04-19T01:43:19Z")
Honeymooners episode “Head of the House” (1956) Ralph: “How did you get that bump on your head?” Ed: “I told Trixie that I’m going to play pool with you and she can either **like it or lump it**. She lumped it.” ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/24 "2012-04-19T01:46:04Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > Honeymooners episode “Head of the House” (1956) > > Ralph: “How did you get that bump on your head?” > > Ed: “I told Trixie that I’m going to play pool with you and she can either **like it or lump it**. She lumped it.” Yep. My whole life. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/25 "2012-04-19T01:51:22Z")
Northeast. Heard it all my life, but infrequently. I’ve never heard of a specific definition for ‘lump it’, but the meaning is clear. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/26 "2012-04-19T02:17:50Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Northeast. Heard it all my life, but infrequently. I’ve never heard of a specific definition for ‘lump it’, but the meaning is clear. Raised on east coast, heard and used it often. “lump it” seems to mean disagree but put up with something. A WordOrigins discussion has [this](http://wordoriginsorg.yuku.com/topic/7684/Like-it-or-lump-it#.T49zzhB5mSM) to say. Another site says [this](http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/43979/what-does-lump-mean-in-the-phrase-you-can-like-it-or-lump-it). ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/27 "2012-04-19T03:25:21Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Raised on east coast, heard and used it often. > > “lump it” seems to mean disagree but put up with something. > > A WordOrigins discussion has [this](http://wordoriginsorg.yuku.com/topic/7684/Like-it-or-lump-it#.T49zzhB5mSM) to say. Another site says [this](http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/43979/what-does-lump-mean-in-the-phrase-you-can-like-it-or-lump-it). Yeah, those convey the meaning. It’s basically saying something is going to happen whether you like it or not. The implication is that complaining is futile. I’d guess it’s more about the alliteration than any specific definition of ‘lump it’. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/28 "2012-04-19T04:09:36Z")
As far as the entomology goes, I had always assumed that it referred to gravy, with gravy being considered a “treat” with “Dinner” (not “supper”). If poorly mixed, the gravy would be lumpy. So, you had a choice to “like it” and be grateful for it, or you could “lump it” and complain about the lumps in the gravy. Either choice would not change the gravy, only your perception of it. I’ve heard it all my life (since the 1960s anyway). I am not sure if I just assumed the above from context as a child, or if it was what I was told when I asked what it meant. It really could be either, since I probably did ask (I asked a lot of questions as a kid), but my siblings were as likely to tell me “I’ll tell you when you’re older” than anything else, particularly if they did not know. In the absence of a believable explanation, I would have made up my own, so I really don’t know where this came from. I was hoping this thread would solve this lifelong mystery for me. I guess I’ll have to dig some more… excavating (for a mind) ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/29 "2012-04-19T04:37:38Z")
Know it. TN. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/30 "2012-04-19T04:43:25Z")
Yep, absolutely. PA, born in 1978. I’ve always heard it as “take it or leave it.” ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/31 "2012-04-19T05:14:33Z")
Grew up with it, have used it in the last year or so. Born in 73, lived in NJ until mid 90s. Joe ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/32 "2012-04-19T05:29:07Z")
New Zealand, common phrase. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/33 "2012-04-19T05:32:22Z")
25 years old here, grew up in Oregon, lived in Texas for 3 years now, never heard it. But I like the way it sounds. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/34 "2012-04-19T05:33:33Z")
Familiar. Former Alaska of 41 years here…I don’t use it any more, but I do remember hearing it and using it quite a bit as a teen and young 20 something (1970s and 80s). ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/35 "2012-04-19T06:09:38Z")
Sydney, Australia. Know it and use it. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/36 "2012-04-19T06:20:54Z")
Canadian. Know the phrase. (Newfoundland born, live in Ontario, heard it in both places.) Never use it, but know it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/37 "2012-04-19T06:35:30Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Yep, absolutely. PA, born in 1978. I’ve always heard it as “take it or leave it.” I don’t think that means quite the same thing - “like it or lump it” - at least in my understanding, means the option to leave it is not available - the choices are: take it willingly/take it unwillingly, but without complaint. ---
**Author:** ![SnakeBabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@SnakeBabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakeBabe)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/38 "2012-04-19T06:42:06Z")
I am a Chicago girl, heard it often but never really knew what it meant. I always guessed it was similar to take it or leave it. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/39 "2012-04-19T11:13:31Z")
Born and raised in SE Michigan. Never heard that phrase in my life. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/40 "2012-04-19T12:04:29Z")
UK, heard it all my life. The only other time I’ve hear lump used in this context was a radio feature called “Lump him or dump him” which polled listeners on the shortcomings of someone’s husband/boyfriend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215.md?page=3)