tramp

¹ American  

[tramp] / træmp /

verb (used without object)

1. to tread or walk with a firm, heavy, resounding step.

2. to tread heavily or trample (usually followed by on orupon ).

   to tramp on a person's toes.

3. to walk steadily; march; trudge.

   They tramped wearily through the night.

4. to go on a walking excursion or expedition; hike.

   a beautiful day for tramping through the countryside.

5. to go about as a vagabond or tramp.

6. to make a voyage on a tramp steamer.

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verb (used with object)

1. to tramp or walk heavily or steadily through or over.

2. to traverse on foot.

   to tramp the streets.

3. to tread or trample underfoot.

   to tramp grapes.

4. to travel over as a tramp.

5. to run (a ship) as a tramp steamer.

noun

1. the act of tramping.

2. a firm, heavy, resounding tread.

3. the sound made by such a tread.

4. a long, steady walk; trudge.

5. a walking excursion or expedition; hike.

6. a person who travels on foot from place to place, especially a vagabond living on occasional jobs or gifts of money or food.

   Synonyms:

   hobo, bum, vagrant

7. a sexually promiscuous woman; prostitute.

8. a freight vessel that does not run regularly between fixed ports, but takes a cargo wherever shippers desire.

9. a piece of iron affixed to the sole of a shoe.

tramp ² American  

[tramp] / træmp /

noun

1. a trampoline.

   We learned some wicked pivots on the tramp today.

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verb (used without object)

1. to use a trampoline, especially with a tramp board.

   These are the boards preferred by professional water skiers who tramp as part of their training.

tramp British  

/ træmp /

verb

1. (intr) to walk long and far; hike

2. to walk heavily or firmly across or through (a place); march or trudge

3. (intr) to wander about as a vagabond or tramp

4. (tr) to make (a journey) or traverse (a place) on foot, esp laboriously or wearily

   to tramp the streets in search of work

5. (tr) to tread or trample

6. (intr) to walk for sport or recreation, esp in the bush

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noun

1. a person who travels about on foot, usually with no permanent home, living by begging or doing casual work

2. a long hard walk; hike

3. a heavy or rhythmic step or tread

4. the sound of heavy treading

5. Also called: tramp steamer.  a merchant ship that does not run between ports on a regular schedule but carries cargo wherever the shippers desire

6. slang a prostitute or promiscuous girl or woman

7. an iron plate on the sole of a boot

Other Word Forms

• tramper
  noun
• tramping
  noun
• trampish
  adjective
• trampishly
  adverb
• trampishness
  noun
• untramped
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of tramp¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English trampen “to walk heavily, stamp”; cognate with Low German trampen, Middle Dutch tramperen “to stamp”; akin to Gothic ana-trimpan “to press hard upon”; see origin at traipse, trample

Origin of tramp²

Shortening of trampoline ( def. )

Explanation

Tramp means to walk or stomp heavily. Your midnight tramp to the kitchen for milk and cookies doesn't thrill your downstairs neighbors. Tramp comes from the German trampen, for "stamp." If you walk heavily, people will say you tramp, but if you're going on a tramp, that means you're going for a long walk or hike. If someone calls you a tramp, they either mean you're a slut or a hobo — each meaning comes vagrant, or wanderer, and the low-life behaviors associated with vagrants.

Example Sentences

And Bar Primi on Bowery is offering a Lady & the Tramp Dinner that includes “the best spaghetti in town” and a complimentary Prosecco toast, according to the event’s Resy page.

From Salon • Feb. 14, 2026

With composer Richard Rodgers, Hart wrote classic songs like "The Lady is a Tramp," "My Funny Valentine" and, of course, "Blue Moon."

From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025

In “Amerika,” he appears as both Chaplin’s Tramp — he mastered the flat-footed walk by practicing in his room at night — and also as the comedian’s Hitler avatar.

From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2024

Robert McCready, who is known for his drag persona the Baroness Titti Von Tramp, said the murder "fragmented the gay scene".

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2024

I’m suddenly picturing Andre and Lisa-Marie Anne slurping on the same spaghetti noodle, Lady and the Tramp style.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

Related Words

• gallop
• plod
• ramble
• roam
• slog
• traipse
• trample
• trudge