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pump out

B1 neutral separable transitive
In simple words

To make a lot of something quickly, or to remove water or liquid with a pump.

Literal meaning: To use a pump to force liquid out — extended to any high-volume production.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic informal

To produce something in large quantities, often rapidly.

"The studio has been pumping out action films at an incredible rate this year."

Grammar: separable
2 B1 neutral

To emit or release something (gas, smoke, sound, etc.) continuously and in large amounts.

"The factory was pumping out thick black smoke into the sky."

Grammar: separable
3 B1 neutral

To remove water or liquid from a space using a pump.

"Firefighters spent hours pumping out the flooded basement."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

The figurative sense (produce in quantity) is very common in journalism and business. The literal sense (remove water) is used in technical and practical contexts. Often used critically to imply overproduction.

Commonly used with

content music carbon emissions water records propaganda

Forms

Base
pump out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
pumps out
he/she/it
Past simple
pumped out
yesterday
Past participle
pumped out
have + pp
-ing form
pumping out
continuous

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