# "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:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![breaking-reality](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a8b319/32.png) [@breaking-reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breaking-reality)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/61 "2012-04-19T19:59:38Z")
IL, 25, known it my whole life and use it pretty regularly. “Lump it” = “Deal with it” That said, the only other person I know who says it with any regularity is my mother… ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/62 "2012-04-19T20:05:35Z")
> [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](#): > > Los Angeles native, and know it. But I’ve picked up a lot of expressions from my midwestern grandfolks. Way to make me look bad. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/63 "2012-04-19T20:10:11Z")
Mid-30s, Chicago. Either never heard it or never noticed it. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/64 "2012-04-19T20:33:14Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > Way to make me look bad. 🙂 Glad to be of service! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_the_turtle/32/2926_2.png) [@Fear\_the\_Turtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_the_Turtle)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/65 "2012-04-20T00:03:06Z")
Heard it from my mom (can’t remember if dad used it) when I was little. I’m 49 now and I’m not sure if I’ve ever heard it since then. Born and raised near Baltimore. Mom was born in '29. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/66 "2012-04-20T00:48:11Z")
This has got to be one of the most widespread “have you heard this expression” expressions ever. It’s all over the English speaking world and it crosses generation. I wonder where it came from and what’s with the lump? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/67 "2012-04-20T01:11:10Z")
[This UK site, The Phrase Finder,](http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/like-it-or-lump-it.html) says lump’s meaning ‘to look sulky or disagreeable’ figures in it. You have two choices-- like it or look disagreeable about it. I’ve never heard the word ‘lump’ used that way. [In Word Origins’ forum](http://wordoriginsorg.yuku.com/topic/7684/t/Like-it-or-lump-it.html#.T5C2t9nLtEM/) says “lump it” is an Americanism that replaced “stick it up your arse” in the phrase “Like it or \_\_\_\_\_\_\_.” Dickens picked it up. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215/68 "2012-04-20T02:02:21Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > This has got to be one of the most widespread “have you heard this expression” expressions ever. It’s all over the English speaking world and it crosses generation. I wonder where it came from and what’s with the lump? Which makes me wonder how in the hell I’ve gotten through almost 37 years, living with a good cross section of people in different parts of the world, and have never heard it. I mean, I believe it’s common; I’m just always amazed when something 99% of people have heard somehow slips by me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/like-it-or-lump-it-do-you-know-what-this-phrase-means/619215.md?page=3)