ramp

¹ American  

[ramp] / ræmp /

noun

1. a sloping surface connecting two levels; incline.

2. a short concave slope or bend, as one connecting the higher and lower parts of a staircase railing at a landing.

3. any extensive sloping walk or passageway.

4. the act of ramping.

5. Also called boarding ramp.  a movable staircase for entering or leaving a cabin door of an airplane.

6. Also called parking ramp.  apron.

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verb (used without object)

1. to rise or grow steadily; climb.

   The private debt crisis is due partly to insanely ramping student loan debt.

   Here are my top 10 tips for ramping quickly in a new sales role.

2. Chiefly British. to rush or dash about (usually followed by about oraround ).

   No need to go ramping around to different plant nurseries—we have the perfect soil mix right here.

   Our littlest guests can enjoy themselves ramping about the adventure playroom.

3. to act or move about wildly or furiously; rage; storm (often followed by about oraround ).

   If it were me ramping and raging in here like that, you'd call security to escort me out.

4. (of a lion or other large quadruped on a coat of arms) to be depicted in a stylized way, standing on the hind legs with forelegs raised.

   The green ramping lion on the silver shield is taken from the Shireburn coat of arms.

5. (of an animal) to stand or move with the forelegs raised, as in animosity or excitement; rear.

   The painting shows Napoleon astride a ramping horse.

   The author vividly describes the angry bear ramping from side to side.

verb (used with object)

1. to provide with a ramp or ramps.

   Entrances will be ramped to accommodate those in wheelchairs.

2. to increase or raise in amount, intensity, extent, etc., especially steadily; build.

   They’ve come up with a plan to ramp national production of renewable energy.

   Suddenly, after a barrage of wordy lyrics, she ramps the song into soaring gospel mode.

3. British. to buy up (shares) in order to generate demand and increase the share price, with the fraudulent intention of quickly selling afterward.

   The bank's brokers have been accused of ramping shares in a mining company.

verb phrase

1. ramp up. see ramp-up.

2. ramp along to sail on a tack with all sails filled.

ramp ² American  

[ramp] / ræmp /

noun

1. a wild onion, Allium tricoccum, of the amaryllis family, of eastern North America, having flat leaves and rounded clusters of whitish flowers; eaten raw or used as a flavoring in cooked foods.

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ramp British  

/ ræmp /

noun

1. a sloping floor, path, etc, that joins two surfaces at different levels

2. a movable stairway by which passengers enter and leave an aircraft

3. the act of ramping

4. slang a swindle, esp one involving exorbitant prices

5. another name for sleeping policeman

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verb

1. (intr; often foll by about or around) (esp of animals) to rush around in a wild excited manner

2. to act in a violent or threatening manner, as when angry (esp in the phrase ramp and rage )

3. (tr) finance to buy (a security) in the market with the object of raising its price and enhancing the image of the company behind it for financial gain

Other Word Forms

• rampingly
  adverb
• unramped
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of ramp¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; (for the verb) Middle English ra(u)mpen “to creep, crawl, climb,” from Old French ramper, ranper “to creep, crawl, climb”; (for the noun) from French rampe, derivative of ramper, ranper

Origin of ramp²

First recorded in 1820–30; back formation from ramps, ramson, variant (with intrusive p ) of rams, earlier rammys, originally the singular of ramson

Explanation

A ramp is a slope or an incline, a surface that tilts from one level to another. Someone using a wheelchair might need a ramp to get from the doorway of a building down to its parking lot. A skateboarder might use a ramp to gather speed, while a man pushing a stroller uses it to push his baby onto the sidewalk after crossing the street. Passengers also walk down ramps when they exit boats and trains. There's also the plant called a ramp, also known as wild onion or wild garlic. As a verb, to ramp means to provide with a ramp, but the more common "to ramp up" means "to increase."

Example Sentences

Consider airlines, which ramp up capacity only to be left holding the luggage when fliers pull back or airfare wars torpedo profits.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

Job cuts are hammering the tech industry as companies ramp up investments in artificial intelligence.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

Consider airlines, which ramp up capacity only to be left holding the luggage when fliers pull back or airfare wars torpedo profits.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

Earlier this month, while Cinco de Mayo revelers were swan-diving into pitchers of margaritas, a few dozen diners gathered in Brooklyn, N.Y., to celebrate a more wholesome annual rite: the arrival of ramp season.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

She padded up the ramp to Duke’s doggy door and stuck in her head.

From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

• slope