Hobson-Jobson / A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive

by Sir Henry Yule; A. C. Burnell

BUMBA, s. H. bamba, from Port. bomba, 'a pump.' Haex (1631) gives: "Bomba, organum pneumaticum quo aqua hauritur," as a Malay word. This is incorrect, of course, as to the origin of the word, but it shows its early adoption into an Eastern language. The word is applied at Ahmedabad to the water-towers, but this is modern; [and so is the general application of the word in N. India to a canal distributary].

1572.—

"'Alija, disse o mestre rijamente,

Alija tudo ao mar, não falte acordo

Vão outros dar á bomba, não cessando;

Á bomba que nos imos alagando.'"

Camões, vi. 72.

By Burton:

"'Heave!' roared the Master with a mighty roar,

'Heave overboard your all, together's the word!