Bump into a person

[Chicken Sandwich]

Is it possible to say "I bumped into her" meaning that I litteraly chrashed into her, not met her. So here "bump into" is not used as a phrasal verb.

So NOT:

bump into [FONT=&quot] somebody [FONT=&quot] phrasal verb [/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] to meet someone who you know, when you were not expecting to [FONT=&quot] SYN run into [/FONT][FONT=&quot]: [/FONT]I bumped into Jean in town.
[/FONT]

But:

bump 1 [FONT=&quot] S3 [FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot] / [/FONT][FONT=&quot]bʌmp [/FONT][FONT=&quot]/ [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot] verb [/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]1 [FONT=&quot][ intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive [FONT=&quot]] [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot] to hit or knock against something

[/FONT]bump into

Technically, according to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English this would be incorrect, because you can only bump into things, not objects.

Thank you in advance.
[/FONT]

 

[Barb_D]

I'm not sure I understand your question. What is the difference between a "thing" and an "object"?

 

[Chicken Sandwich]

Sorry the question was wrong. If the definition is "to hit or knock against something". Can something refer to a person?

So, in other words: can is say "I bumped into her" meaning I litterally crashed into her (so not meeting her)?

 

[Barb_D]

Sure you can bump into someone physically.

 

[Tdol]

Technically, according to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English this would be incorrect, because you can only bump into things, not objects.

They don't mean that this verb is only for use with objects- you can bump into people as well.

 

[Chicken Sandwich]

They don't mean that this verb is only for use with objects- you can bump into people as well.

OK, thanks. I just consulted the Collins Cobuild Dictionary, and there they do specifically say that you can bump into someone:

If you bump into something or someone, you accidentally hit them while you are moving.

 

[Tdol]

It's just a spot of careless phrasing in the Longman dictionary. ;-)