Lump vs Sliver?

[Rhaight9]

The definition of one meaning of lump is 1-a compact mass of a substance, especially one without a definite or regular shape— "there was a lump of ice floating in the milk” and sliver means a small, thin piece of something cut or split off a larger piece.

I was hoping to ask, do they basically mean the same?

 

[emsr2d2]

The definition of one meaning of "lump" is "1-a compact mass of a substance, especially one without a definite or regular shape— "there was a lump of ice floating in the milk”, and "sliver" means "a small, thin piece of something cut or split off a larger piece".

I was hoping to ask, Do they basically mean the same?

Welcome to the forum, @Rhaight9.

Before we continue, please tell us where you copied those definitions from. It's a rule of the forum that you must give the source of any text you quote if you didn't write it yourself.

 

[Rhaight9]

Of course. I apologize. Lump's definition is taken from google's ditcionery- https://www.google.com/search?q=lum...qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&bshm=rime/1

sliver's definition is taken from the same “dictionary”- https://www.google.com/search?q=sli...ACBBiAYBkAYI&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&bshm=rime/1

Cambridge's dictionary and Collins dictionary seem to correspond to these meanings. I chose to write down these definitions, from Google's dictionary, in my notes and then excerpt them here because I find it easiest to understand (by the way it was phrases and the example sentence).

Thank you for the welcome! I'm very happy to be here.

 

[emsr2d2]

Of course. I apologize. The definition of "lump" 's definition is taken from google's ditcionery dictionary - https://www.google.com/search?q=lum...qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&bshm=rime/1

The definition of "sliver" 's definition is taken from the same dictionary - https://www.google.com/search?q=sliver+meaning&sca_esv=572849866&rlz=1C1KNTJ_enIL1073IL1074&sxsrf=AM9HkKn5S_qVd6-hEtsQIZGC1-aerxMCRg:1697113691475&ei=W-YnZfu6HIW6xc8Pxsun-A4&ved=0ahUKEwi71OSVwfCBAxUFXfEDHcblCe8Q4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=sliver+meaning&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiDnNsaXZlciBtZWFuaW5nMggQABiKBRiRAjIGEAAYBxgeMgYQABgHGB4yBhAAGAcYHjIGEAAYBxgeMgYQABgHGB4yBhAAGAcYHjIGEAAYBxgeMgYQABgHGB4yBhAAGAcYHkiPCVDgBVifCHABeAGQAQCYAboBoAG6AaoBAzAuMbgBA8gBAPgBAcICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPiAwQYACBBiAYBkAYI&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&bshm=rime/1

Cambridge 's Dictionary and Collins Dictionary seem to correspond to match these meanings. I chose to write down these definitions no comma here from Google's dictionary no comma here in my notes and then excerpt copy them here because I find it easiest to understand (by because of the way it was phrased and the example sentence).

Thank you for the welcome! I'm very happy to be here.

Note my corrections above.

Now - on to your actual question. The words are not interchangeable and they do not mean the same. A lump is much larger than a sliver and it's a completely different shape.

This is a lump of ice:


This is someone cutting a sliver of cheese off a larger block:


As you can see, a lump is quite three-dimensional but a sliver is extremely thin.

 

[SoothingDave]

No, they're not the same. Lumps aren't thin. Slivers are thin. You get a sliver when you break a glass.

Lumps are more amorphous. Your morning oatmeal may have lumps in it. Your mashed potatoes will have lumps if you don't mash them enough.

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, and lumps have more of a roundness (a 3Dness) whereas slivers have a thinness and usually a longness.

 

[Rhaight9]

Note my corrections above.

Now - on to your actual question. The words are not interchangeable and they do not mean the same. A lump is much larger than a sliver and it's a completely different shape.

This is a lump of ice:
View attachment 5661

This is someone cutting a sliver of cheese off a larger block:
View attachment 5662

As you can see, a lump is quite three-dimensional but a sliver is extremely thin.

Sliver and lump are nouns? I thought they're adjectives;sliver of cheese, lumps of milk.

Can I ask why "lump's definition” is wrong? And why “correspond” was also wrong there? I initially didn't write matching because I sough to say the bottom line are the same between each dictionary's definition and not word by word.

 

[emsr2d2]

Are "sliver" and "lump" are nouns? I thought they're they were adjectives - a sliver of cheese, lumps of milk.

They are both nouns. I don't know where you got the idea they were adjectives.

Can I ask why "lump's definition” is wrong, and why “correspond” was also wrong there?

As a general rule, we say "the definition of [word]", rather than trying to use a possessive.
If you wanted to use "correspond" there, you'd need to say something like "The definition in Collins Dictionary corresponds to that in the Cambridge Dictionary".

I initially didn't write "matching" initially because I sough (this is not an English word) to say the bottom line definitions are basically the same between each in those dictionaries, definition and although not word by for word.

 

[Rhaight9]

They are both nouns. I don't know where you got the idea they were adjectives.

As a general rule, we say "the definition of [word]", rather than trying to use a possessive.
If you wanted to use "correspond" there, you'd need to say something like "The definition in Collins Dictionary corresponds to that in the Cambridge Dictionary".

I thought they were adjectives because we say "a sliver of cheese" , or "lumps of milk" .

I apologize i'm littered with mistakes.probably a by product of being a non-native. Can I ask if I had written "cambridge and collins dictionaries seem to correspond WITH these definitions, would it still be wrong?

 

[emsr2d2]

I thought they were adjectives because we say "a sliver of cheese" no comma here or "lumps of milk".

You need to study what an adjective in then. In those fragments, "sliver" and "lumps" are nouns. The word "of" in both of them expresses "[which is/are made of]", so "a sliver [which is] made of cheese" and "lumps [which are] made of milk". The pattern is "noun of noun".

I apologize that I'm writing text that's littered with mistakes. space here It's probably a by-product of being a non-native English speaker.

Don't apologise for making mistakes. You're here to learn. We already know you're not a native English speaker. That's the case with most of the learners on the forum.

Can I ask If I had written "Cambridge and Collins dictionaries seem to correspond WITH these definitions", would it still be wrong?

That would still be wrong. We don't say that A and B correspond with C if C is something completely different from A and B.
Two dictionaries don't correspond with a definition. A definition in one dictionary can correspond with a definition in another dictionary.

 

[Rhaight9]

H

You need to study what an adjective in then. In those fragments, "sliver" and "lumps" are nouns. The word "of" in both of them expresses "[which is/are made of]", so "a sliver [which is] made of cheese" and "lumps [which are] made of milk". The pattern is "noun of noun".

Don't apologise for making mistakes. You're here to learn. We already know you're not a native English speaker. That's the case with most of the learners on the forum.

That would still be wrong. We don't say that A and B correspond with C if C is something completely different from A and B.
Two dictionaries don't correspond with a definition. A definition in one dictionary can correspond with a definition in another dictionary.

Can you give me another example of this "noun of noun" pattern?

And if A and B are not completely different than C, which is what I originally meant; could I say collins dictionary's defintion and cambridge dictionary's defintion correspond with google dictionary's definition?

 

[Piscean]

Can you give me another example of this "noun of noun" pattern?

a slice/two slices of bacon
a litre/three litres of beer
a piece/two pieces of cake

 

[emsr2d2]

And If A and B are not completely different than from C, which is what I originally meant, could I say "The Collins Dictionary's definition and The Cambridge Dictionary's definition correspond with to Google dictionary's definition"?

Yes, you can say that. It would be more natural to shorten it to "Collins and Cambridge dictionaries' definitions correspond to Google's".

 

[Rhaight9]

Yes, you can say that. It would be more natural to shorten it to "Collins and Cambridge dictionaries' definitions correspond to Google's".

I want to thank you for all your help!

 

[emsr2d2]

I want to thank you for all your help!

That's great but in order to do that, there's no need to write a new post. Simply add a "Thanks" icon to any response you find helpful. Hover your mouse over the "Like" button and "Thanks" is one of the options.