The Collaborative International Dictionary
Jump \Jump\, v. t.
To pass over by means of a spring or leap; to overleap; as, to jump a stream.
To cause to jump; as, he jumped his horse across the ditch.
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To expose to danger; to risk; to hazard. [Obs.]
To jump a body with a dangerous physic.
--Shak. -
(Smithwork)
To join by a butt weld.
To thicken or enlarge by endwise blows; to upset.
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(Quarrying) To bore with a jumper.
To jump a claim, to enter upon and take possession of land to which another has acquired a claim by prior entry and occupation. [Western U. S. & Australia] See Claim, n., 3.
To jump one's bail, to abscond while at liberty under bail bonds. [Slang, U. S.]
To jump the gun, to begin to run (in a footrace) before the starting gun has fired; hence, (fig.) to begin any activity before the designated starting time.
Usage examples of "to jump the gun".
She was sending Hendriksson because she thought Walker might be inclined to jump the gun in a tricky situation.
He knew Iyeyasu was going to do it, so he decided he had to jump the gun.
If Boday couldn't give them until all the other stuff had set and taken, then there was no reason to jump the gun and take a big risk.
Mullon had tried to estimate how long it would take him to get in back of Hollander and had stressed that Milligan was not to jump the gun prematurely.
Knowing that they would soon come for him, the Master of the Dead had decided to jump the gun.