From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Gumption \Gump"tion\, n. [OE. gom, gome, attention; akin to AS.
ge['o]mian, gyman, to regard, observe, gyme care, OS. gomean
to heed, Goth. gaumjan to see, notice.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Capacity; shrewdness; common sense. [Colloq.]
[1913 Webster]
One does not have gumption till one has been
properly cheated. --Lord Lytton.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Paint.)
(a) The art of preparing colors. --Sir W. Scott.
(b) Megilp. --Fairholt.
3. initiative; resourcefulness.
[PJC]
4. Courage; guts.
[PJC]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
gumption
n 1: sound practical judgment; "Common sense is not so common";
"he hasn't got the sense God gave little green apples";
"fortunately she had the good sense to run away" [syn:
{common sense}, {good sense}, {gumption}, {horse sense},
{sense}, {mother wit}]
2: fortitude and determination; "he didn't have the guts to try
it" [syn: {backbone}, {grit}, {guts}, {moxie}, {sand},
{gumption}]
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