bumming himself up.

[panjandrum]

This expression came naturally to me a little while ago.
Before I wrote it, it occurred to me to wonder if it is really used with the meaning I intended.

I was going to say something like "If only he would stop bumming himself up he might be quite sociable."
To me, the expression "bumming himself up" means that he is always trying to create the impression that he is wonderful.
It's not that he's boasting, but he takes every opportunity to mention something that he thinks will impress his audience.
Here are a few examples:

He never stops bumming himself up and is eager to go on and on and on about all his 'secret' charity work.​

Source
​

What makes matters worse is that this guy thinks he's a brilliant footballer - probably the modern day Franz Beckenbauer - and is constantly in the press giving interviews and bumming himself up!​

Source
​

When I looked for support for this expression, I found very few examples.

Is this a familiar expression to you?

 

[owlman5]

I've never heard it before, Panj, but I like it. I'll try to remember it and give it a try the next time I catch somebody doing this. Ordinarily, I'd use something boring like "bragging" to describe this fellow's behavior. It's not especially common here, but I also use "puffing and blowing", which I probably picked up from my southern kin.

 

[gandolfo]

Heard of "bumming around", "bumming something off someone" but never "bumming yourself up" I've never heard of it until now sounds strange to me but that's nothing new

edit

but a phrase that I can use to complain about people with....my modus operandi at the moment!

 

[Parla]

I've never heard such an expression and if I did, I'd be quite puzzled by it. It sounds to me more like a self-putdown than bragging.

 

[gquixote]

It sounds more like self deprecation to me. Or perhaps rather rude self stimulation!

 

[owlman5]

I've never heard such an expression and if I did, I'd be quite puzzled by it. It sounds to me more like a self-putdown than bragging.

It sounds more like self deprecation to me. Or perhaps rather rude self stimulation!

This would be part of its charm for me: to watch the braggart's dull gape or pained frown as he tried to figure out whether he had just been insulted.

 

[grubble]

The up to date version is "bigging himself up"

.	big up
	exaltation or encouragement; (of self) to boast Big up all the crew in the place!

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=big%20up

 

[PaulQ]

I've never seen it before but, if I had read it, I would have understood the meaning as per Panj.

 

[Adge]

Not a familiar term around here. I took it to mean something like "bumming himself out" or disappointing/upsetting himself- not quite the same.

 

[GreenWhiteBlue]

I've never heard such an expression and if I did, I'd be quite puzzled by it. It sounds to me more like a self-putdown than bragging.

My townswoman Parla has concisely expressed exactly my own take on the phrase.

 

[ewie]

Another vote for Never Heard Of It.

 

[><FISH'>]

I've heard "bum off" or "bumming something/someone/oneself" but never "bumming up". These are, of course, ambiguously rude expressions used by teenagers. Not something adults would use.

 

[heypresto]

I've never liked the expression 'to big up' and so am glad of an exciting new and far better alternative

 

[gquixote]

The up to date version is "bigging himself up"

.	big up
	exaltation or encouragement; (of self) to boast Big up all the crew in the place!

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=big up

"Big up!" is a slang expression denoting mutual pleasure, encouragement and/or congratulations. "Bigging himself up" is an anomaly and not in use.

 

[heypresto]

"Bigging himself up" is very much in use in BE.

 

[gquixote]

Hah! I never knew that. Thanks heypresto. Big up!

 

[panjandrum]

"Big up!" is a slang expression denoting mutual pleasure, encouragement and/or congratulations. "Bigging himself up" is an anomaly and not in use.

A courageous statement

The way he has talked with the press and faced up in interviews, a young man at ease, confident but not arrogant, not getting drawn into saying anything rash or bigging himself up or getting involved in any silly business.
Source

I found a dictionary that includes the sense used in my topic expression

bum (informal)
1.someone who boasts or brags a lot: Mary’s a real bum, she’s always telling us how brilliant her kids are.
2.to brag or boast: Pete’s bumming about how much he earns.
<Probably from bum Scots meaning to make a buzzing or humming noise: a bee>
The Concise Dictionary of Scottish Words and Phrases

That explains why it is familiar to me (a stone's throw from Scotland) but not to the rest of you.

Thanks to all for the contributions

 

[sqeeezy]

This expression came naturally to me a little while ago.
Before I wrote it, it occurred to me to wonder if it is really used with the meaning I intended.

I was going to say something like "If only he would stop bumming himself up he might be quite sociable."
To me, the expression "bumming himself up" means that he is always trying to create the impression that he is wonderful.
It's not that he's boasting, but he takes every opportunity to mention something that he thinks will impress his audience.
Here are a few examples:

He never stops bumming himself up and is eager to go on and on and on about all his 'secret' charity work.​

Source​

​

What makes matters worse is that this guy thinks he's a brilliant footballer - probably the modern day Franz Beckenbauer - and is constantly in the press giving interviews and bumming himself up!​

Source​

​

When I looked for support for this expression, I found very few examples.

Is this a familiar expression to you?

ahem.. a wee bit late....2021 now... yes I was just wondering today if I remembered this usage from Southern Scotland in the '60s or was making it up. So I did remember it. Langholm area. Also see bumming and bragging – cassidyslangscam. I think I remember it used a simple substitute for "brag"/"bs" without the "self up", but maybe that was optional.