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camp 1 (kămp)
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n.
1.
a. A place where tents, huts, or other temporary shelters are set up, as by soldiers, nomads, or travelers.
b. A cabin or shelter or group of such buildings: gathered branches and grasses for a makeshift camp; had a fishing camp in Vermont.
c. The people using such shelters: a howl that awakened the whole camp.
2.
a. A place, often in the country, that offers simple group accommodations and organized recreation or instruction, as for vacationing children: a girls' summer camp; a tennis camp.
b. Sports A place where athletes engage in intensive training, especially preseason training.
c. The people attending the programs at such a place.
3. A program offering group instruction or recreation without overnight facilities.
4. A prison camp or concentration camp.
5. Military service; army life.
6. A group of people who think alike or share a cause; side: The council members disagreed, falling into liberal and conservative camps.
v. camped, camp·ing, camps
v. intr.
1. To make or set up a camp.
2. To live in or as if in a camp; settle: We camped in the apartment until the furniture arrived.
v. tr.
To shelter or lodge in a camp; encamp: They camped themselves by a river.

[Early Modern English, from Middle French, probably from Italian or Spanish campo, both from Latin campus, field; see CAMPUS.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
camp 2 (kămp)
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n.
Deliberate affectation or exaggeration of style, especially of popular or outdated style, for ironic or humorous effect: "Camp is popularity plus vulgarity plus innocence" (Indra Jahalani).
adj.
1. Showing or characterized by camp: played up the silliness of their roles for camp effect.
2. Given to or characterized by exaggerated, effeminate mannerisms.
v. camped, camp·ing, camps
v.intr.
1. To act in a histrionic or exaggerated manner.
2. To act in an exaggerated, effeminate manner.
v.tr.
To exaggerate or overdramatize: camped up the characters in the play.

[Origin unknown.]

campy adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
cAMP
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abbr.
cyclic AMP

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
Camp (kămp), Walter Chauncey 1859-1925.
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American football coach and promoter who developed many of the sport's basic rules.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.