v. & n.
v. 1 intr. a walk heavily and firmly (tramping about upstairs). b go on foot, esp. a distance. 2 tr. a cross on foot, esp. wearily or reluctantly. b cover (a distance) in this way (tramped forty miles). 3 tr. (often foll. by down) tread on; trample; stamp on. 4 tr. Austral. colloq. dismiss from employment, sack. 5 intr. live as a tramp.
n. 1 an itinerant vagrant or beggar. 2 the sound of a person, or esp. people, walking, marching, etc., or of horses' hooves. 3 a journey on foot, esp. protracted. 4 a an iron plate protecting the sole of a boot used for digging. b the part of a spade that it strikes. 5 esp. US sl. derog. a promiscuous woman. 6 = ocean tramp. tramper n. trampish adj.
[ ME trampe f. Gmc ]