clumper n also clamper, clumber. Cp OED ~ sb 1 'lump, mass' obs exc dial; EDD sb 1 'lump' W Do So; see also CLUMPET.
   1 A small ice-berg; floating pan of ice; GROWLER.
   1933 GREENE 61 This fine brig struck a heavy clumper of ice one stormy night with a big sea, and foundered at once with all hands. 1937 DEVINE 14 ~ A small floating ice-berg. [1954] 1972 RUSSELL 25 Our pan had broke up a lot durin' the night, and by daylight twas no more than a clumper—likely to roll over any minute. P 213-55 The boy fell in the water while hopping clampers. 1967 Evening Telegram 13 Mar, p. 3 Clumber: submerged, waterlogged ice that shows above the surface when the water is disturbed. M 69-14 Then with the approach of spring and thaw there would be a breaking up of the ice in the coves with ice pans which we called clampers. The boys of the community, sometimes half a dozen to each 'clamper,' depending on the size, would get on these 'clampers' and with a long stick manoeuvre them along the shoreline. 1976 Daily News 2 Mar, p. 3 Jumpin' clumpers was another favourite pastime. In some places they call it copying on the bellycaters, and its known as fackying in parts of Conception Bay. All it means is jumping from one ice pan to another without failing into the water.
   2 A hummock of ice in an ice-field.
   1924 ENGLAND 54 'If you'm caught in a starm on de ice,' said bridge master Llewellen White, 'an' a lake breaks between you an' de ship so you can't get aburd, you build up a barricade o' clumpers an' make a fire.' 1944 LAWTON & DEVINE 93 Down the steep slippery sides and away, half running, half walking, each man making his own trail amongst the frozen clumpers. T 31/2-64 We come to the clumper, come to the [rifts] there now, where ice come together in the night [because of] that storm. 1976 Decks Awash v, 2 As boys, when the ice came in, we would sneak off after school and spend hours waiting for a 'blowing hole' just in hope to see maybe the whisker of a seal. We would search behind all the 'clumpers' (rafted ice) to make sure there was not a live seal hidden there.
   3 A slab of ice forced up along the shoreline; formation of ice frozen on shore from action of waves and wind; cp BALLICATTER, esp variant BALLICLAMPER, etc.
   C 67-13 Clumpers [are] chunks of hard ice found along the shore. P 207-67 We could see clumpers along the shore. 1971 NOSEWORTHY 184 Clumpers. Ice on shore and rocks from waves and salt spray.
   4 A small chunk of ice or snow.
   T 82/4—64 There's clumpers—about the size o' dumplin's. T 389-672 [You] get up on a big rafter an' heave clumpers at them. P 148-72 I was drivin' down the road, mindin' me own business, when these two fellers fired clumpers of snow at my car. So I went down the road, slewed around, came back and got in a ger[t] clum.
   5 Attrib clumper anchor: iron chain with 'jigs' protruding at intervals, used to moor a boat to a small iceberg; ICE CLAW (P 243-65).

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