camp

¹

[ kamp ]

noun

1. a place where an army or other group of persons or an individual is lodged in a tent or tents or other temporary means of shelter.
2. such tents or shelters collectively:

   The regiment transported its camp in trucks.

3. the persons so sheltered:

   The camp slept through the storm.

4. the act of camping out:

   Camp is far more pleasant in summer than in winter.

5. any temporary structure, as a tent or cabin, used on an outing or vacation.
6. a group of troops, workers, etc., camping and moving together.
7. army life.
8. a group of people favoring the same ideals, doctrines, etc.:

   Most American voters are divided into two camps, Republicans and Democrats.

9. any position in which ideals, doctrines, etc., are strongly entrenched:

   After considering the other side's argument, he changed camps.

10. a recreation area in the country, equipped with extensive facilities for sports.
11. day camp.
12. summer camp.

verb (used without object)

1. to establish or pitch a camp:

   The army camped in the valley.

2. to live temporarily in or as if in a camp or outdoors, usually for recreation (often followed by out ):

   They camped by the stream for a week.

3. to reside or lodge somewhere temporarily or irregularly, especially in an apartment, room, etc.:

   They camped in our apartment whenever they came to town.

4. to settle down securely and comfortably; become ensconced:

   The kids camped on our porch until the rain stopped.

5. to take up a position stubbornly:

   They camped in front of the president's office.

verb (used with object)

1. to put or station (troops) in a camp; shelter.
2. Digital Technology. (in a video game)
   1. to hunt or search for (an enemy or item) by maintaining a position where it is known to spawn:

      There were a couple of us camping a notorious monster for rare dropped items.

   2. to hide or take cover in (a relatively safe play area), often as part of an ambush strategy for attacking other characters:

      Camp a choke point like the bridge, or just hide in the bushes with a sniper rifle and you’ll be the last man standing.

camp

²

[ kamp ]

noun

1. something that provides irreverent or knowing amusement, as by virtue of its being theatrically stylized and extravagantly artificial, self-consciously artless, or ironically ingenuous.
2. a person who adopts a teasing, theatrical manner, especially for the amusement of others.

verb (used without object)

1. Also camp it up. to speak or behave in a coquettishly playful or extravagantly theatrical manner.

adjective

1. campy:

   camp Hollywood musicals of the 1940s.

Camp

³

[ kamp ]

noun

1. Walter Chaun·cey [chawn, -see, chahn, -], 1859–1925, U.S. football coach and author.

cAMP

⁴

[ kamp ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

1. cyclic AMP.

Camp

¹

/ kæmp /

noun

1. CampWalter (Chauncey)18591925MUSSPORT AND GAMES: sportsmanSPORT AND GAMES: sports administrator Walter ( Chauncey ). 1859–1925, US sportsman and administrator; he introduced new rules to American football, which distinguished it from rugby.

camp

²

/ kæmp /

adjective

1. effeminate; affected in mannerisms, dress, etc
2. homosexual
3. consciously artificial, exaggerated, vulgar, or mannered; self-parodying, esp when in dubious taste

verb

1. tr to perform or invest with a camp quality
2. camp it up
   camp it up
   1. to seek to focus attention on oneself by making an ostentatious display, overacting, etc
   2. to flaunt one's homosexuality

noun

1. a camp quality, style, etc

camp

³

/ kæmp /

noun

1. a place where tents, cabins, or other temporary structures are erected for the use of military troops, for training soldiers, etc
2. the military life
3. tents, cabins, etc, used as temporary lodgings by a group of travellers, holiday-makers, Scouts, etc
4. the group of people living in such lodgings
5. a field or paddock fenced off as pasture
6. a group supporting a given doctrine or theory

   the socialist camp

7. a place where sheep or cattle gather to rest
8. modifier suitable for use in temporary quarters, on holiday, etc, esp by being portable and easy to set up

   a camp chair

   a camp bed

verb

1. introften foll bydown to establish or set up a camp
2. introften foll byout to live temporarily in or as if in a tent
3. tr to put in a camp

Derived Forms

• ˈcamping, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of camp¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Middle French can, camp, originally dialect (Normandy, Picardy) or from Old Provençal, from Italian campo, from Latin campus “field, battlefield”; compare Old English campe, compe “battle, battlefield” (cognate with German Kampf “struggle”), from Germanic, from Latin

Origin of camp²

First recorded in 1865–70 as campish; spelling camp dates to 1905–10; of uncertain origin; perhaps from French se camper “to pose, portray oneself”; perhaps dialectal camp “impetuous, uncouth person,” hence, “slightly objectionable, effeminate, gay”; in some senses probably special use of camp ¹ (in the sense “army camp”), where “camp followers,” a euphemism for prostitutes, were notorious for licentiousness

Word History and Origins

Origin of camp¹

C20: of uncertain origin

Origin of camp²

C16: from Old French, ultimately from Latin campus field

Idioms and Phrases

• break camp
• foot in both camps
• happy camper

Example Sentences

Pitchfork called him a “a rap-obsessed misfit from a summer camp who freestyles poorly” who is “ridiculous without knowing it.”

From The Daily Beast

Within a concentration camp, would someone make a joke about the number, the tattooed number?

From The Daily Beast

For now, Sabrine continues her daily routine of visits to the protest camp, to political leaders and taking care of the twins.

From The Daily Beast

In the summer of 2014, they both were sentenced to 4-1/2 years in a labor camp.

From The Daily Beast

The prison camp island nation known as Cuba erupted in celebration.

From The Daily Beast

"A camp-fire would hardly flash and die out like that, Sarge," he answered thoughtfully.

From Project Gutenberg

In the most perfect stillness, we arrived within two hundred paces of the enemy's camp.

From Project Gutenberg

The camp grew still, except for the rough and ready cook pottering about the fire, boiling buffalo-meat and mixing biscuit-dough.

From Project Gutenberg

Meanwhile, he had been selected as aide-de-camp by General d'Ure de Molans.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus the whole State became one vast armed camp, nearly forty thousand men on a side, arrayed against each other.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• encampment
• tent