the.com/ump
A stranger paid to be right while thousands scream that he isn't.
means A short form of 'umpire' — the official who calls balls, strikes, outs, and fouls in sports like baseball and cricket.
from 'Ump' is simply a clipped form of 'umpire,' which traces back through Middle English 'noumpere' to Old French 'nonper,' meaning 'not equal' or 'odd one out' — i.e., a third party brought in to break a tie between two equals. The 'n' drifted off the front over time (the same kind of slip that turned 'a napron' into 'an apron'), leaving 'umpire,' which American sports slang later chopped down to the brisk, one-syllable 'ump.'
- origin
- short for umpire, from Old French nonper, not equal
- strike zone
- redefined by each ump's personal judgment, officially
- job security
- ejects you, still shows up to work tomorrow
- robot threat
- automated strike zones already testing in minor leagues