stumping

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

1.To cut off a part of; to reduce to a stump; to lop. [1913 Webster]

Around the stumped top soft moss did grow.— Dr. H. More.[1913 Webster]

2.To strike, as the toes, against a stone or something fixed; to stub. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

3.To challenge; also, to nonplus. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

4.To travel over, delivering speeches for electioneering purposes; as, to stump a State, or a district. See To go on the stump, under Stump, n. [Colloq. U.S.] [1913 Webster]

5.(Cricket) (a) To put (a batsman) out of play by knocking off the bail, or knocking down the stumps of the wicket he is defending while he is off his allotted ground; -- sometimes with out. --T. Hughes. (b) To bowl down the stumps of, as, of a wicket. [1913 Webster]

A herd of boys with clamor bowled, And stumped the wicket.— Tennyson.[1913 Webster]

To stump it. (a) To go afoot; hence, to run away; to escape. [Slang] --Ld. Lytton. (b) To make electioneering speeches. [Colloq. U.S.] [1913 Webster]