I. ˈrämp sometimes ˈrȯmp noun
( -s )
Etymology: partly alteration of ramp (IV) ; partly alteration of ramp (II)
1. : one that romps ; especially : a romping girl or woman
2.
a. : lively, frisky, or boisterous play or sport : frolic , gambol
both dogs loose, it is quite possible that a joyful romp rather than a dogfight would result — J.W.Cross
students' day features a parade through town with all manner of romp and hilarity — Ernest Stock
a high-spirited romp which is the American version of country dancing — Angelica Gibbs
b. : a romp marked by lovemaking
had made a tryst for a twilight romp — Lucy M. Montgomery
the lovers … going out onto the porch in a romp every little while — Elizabeth M. Roberts
3. : a pace or rate of progress in a race or contest by which one wins easily or outdistances competitors by a large margin : runaway
a gray colt who beat 18 other well fancied youngsters in a romp — G.F.T.Ryall
is expected to win the political race in a romp
a 65-yard touchdown romp
4. : a literary or dramatic production consisting chiefly of a series of lively fast-moving loosely organized incidents or episodes
it was a semiautobiographical romp through the sophisticated continental and domestic settings — Edward Lueders
a play that begins like another romp about a junior miss up to junior mischief — Time
the plot is no more than an artfully regulated romp — Newsweek
Synonyms: see play
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: alteration of ramp (I)
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to play in a lively, frisky, or boisterous manner : frolic , gambol
found the general romping in the living room with his five children — Newsweek
the hugest playmate that ever romped with fairies and the aery sprites of merry mischief — G.K.Chesterton
b. : to engage in lovemaking
romp with one's … pretty serving girl when wifie's busy bathing — Robert Browning
during the trial of a paternity suit it was brought out that … the footmen romped with the servant girls — R.D.Altick
2.
a. : to proceed, move, or go in a gay, animated, or vigorous manner
the wind was romping through the streets like a boisterous country visitor — Rebecca West
girls … romp down the stone steps with such a deafening clatter — Sam Heppner
boats that romped over the bay — Jean Stafford
b. : to run or advance in a race or contest with such progress as to win easily or outdistance the competitors by a large margin
romped home a winner … in his first start — G.F.T.Ryall
romped for four touchdowns and three conversion points — Newsweek
romping home with 51 of the 52 seats up for election — Alex Josey
3.
a. : to act a part in a play in a lively, fast, or informal manner
aiming at speed, achieves it by letting his smooth cast romp gayly and ripple off the script's cute lines at a fast rate — P.T.Hartung
romp throughout the half hour flubbing and gagging, sticking to script and bouncing off into ad lib — Newsweek
b. : to play music in a buoyant spontaneous manner usually with flourishes or improvisations
the two romp through chase choruses, sometimes trading every four bars, which is … quite exciting as they play it — Bill Simon
watching the piano player take his chorus, with a fine romping offbeat in the treble — Vincent McHugh
romped through a few popular songs, backed up by a drummer and a bass player — Douglas Watt
transitive verb
: to convey or urge in a sportive or boisterous manner
romp the children to bed
Synonyms: see play