stumpify

English

Etymology

From stump +‎ -ify.

Verb

stumpify (third-person singular simple present stumpifies, present participle stumpifying, simple past and past participle stumpified)

1. (transitive) To turn into a stump.
   • 1861, Winthrop Sargent, The Life and Career of Major John André, page 20:

     I sympathize in your resentment against the canonical Dons, who stumpify the heads of those good green people, beneath whose friendly shade so many of your happiest hours have glided away, — but they defy them; let them stumpify as much as they please, time will repair the mischief, — their verdant arms will again extend, and invite you to their shelter.

   • 1939, William Wordsworth, Dorothy Wordsworth, Ernest De Selincourt, The letters of William and Dorothy Wordsworth:

     They are some of the finest old stumpified staring trees I ever saw, with a small waterfall, rocks of all shapes &c &c.

   • 1997 March 23, Fle...@aol.com, “Pruning Prunus”, in rec.arts.bonsai (Usenet):

     This particular tree is being stumpified due to its unacceptable branching at present-- its saving grace is a tremendous trunk bole and surface roots, which is why I originally bought it.

   • 2006 June 9, Userb3, “Ankle straps unflattering?”, in alt.fashion (Usenet):

     I find ankle straps sexy as all get out, and don't think they stumpify the leg at all.

2. (transitive) To baffle; to completely puzzle.
   • 2002 October 11, LMcC, “Trying to install OVMS 7.0 on Digital Alphaserver 1000 4/266”, in comp.os.vms (Usenet):

     I did make sure my PALcode was above the required minimum but other than that, I have been stumpified.

   • 2011, AJ Stern, Principal for the Day, →ISBN:

     That question stumpified me.