Double-Tongued Dictionary

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hump strap

n. a band, belt, rope, or similar long, narrow strip used for carrying heavy objects, especially on one’s back.

Etymological note: According to the Historical Dictionary of American Slang, the verb hump, meaning to hoist or carry (a bundle) upon the back or to carry or shift (a heavy object), not necessarily upon the back, dates to at least as early as 1851. The earliest quotations so far found are Australian. The most common way to use a hump strap is to wrap it once securely around the object to be moved, take each end of the strap over a shoulder from back to front, and then, moving from a squatting to a standing position, grip and pull the ends (or, if the hump strap is a loop without free ends, the other side of the loop) of the strap forward and downward in order to lift the object up on one’s back as one stands. Hump straps are also used to hold many boxes or other items on a dolly or hand truck or as a sling for large furniture that might otherwise require the lifter to bend at the waist. Thanks to Erin McKean for suggesting hump strap as an entry.

Citations, subject labels, and comments can be found on the Double-Tongued Dictionary web site:

http://dtww.org/index.php/dictionary/hump_strap/

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