I. camp 1 S3 W3 /kæmp/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: French ; Origin: Latin campus 'field' ]
1 . IN THE MOUNTAINS/FOREST ETC [uncountable and countable] a place where people stay in tents, shelters etc for a short time, usually in the mountains, a forest etc:
Let’s go back to camp – it’s getting dark.
a camp near Lake Ellen Wilson
The soldiers broke camp (=took down their tents etc) and left before dawn.
pitch/make camp (=set up a tent or shelter)
It was dark by the time we pitched camp.
We set up camp (=made the camping place ready) at nearby Icicle Lake.
The expedition’s base camp (=main camp) was 6,000 feet below the summit.
mining/logging etc camp (=a camp where people stay when they are doing these kinds of jobs)
2 . prison/labour/detention etc camp a place where people are kept for a particular reason, when they do not want to be there:
a refugee camp just across the border
⇨ ↑ concentration camp
3 . FOR CHILDREN [uncountable and countable] a place where young people go to take part in activities, and where they usually stay for several days or weeks:
The camp offers hiking, fishing, canoeing, and boating.
scout camp
Two years ago, she started a summer camp for girls aged eight and older.
tennis/football etc camp (=a camp where you can do one particular activity) ⇨ ↑ day camp , ↑ holiday camp
4 . GROUP OF PEOPLE [countable] a group of people or organizations who have the same ideas or principles, especially in politics:
the extreme right-wing camp of the party
At least Lynne is definitely in your camp (=supports you rather than someone else, and agrees with your ideas) .
⇨ have a foot in both camps at ↑ foot 1 (21)
5 . MILITARY [countable] a permanent place where soldiers live or train:
Donny is stationed at Camp Pendleton.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ make/pitch camp (=put up your tents)
We made camp in a clearing in the woods.
▪ set up camp (=put up your tents and arrange the camping place)
The soldiers set up camp outside the city.
▪ break camp (=take down your tents ready to move to a new place)
In the morning it was time to break camp.
II. camp 2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: French ; Origin: camper , from camp ; ⇨ ↑ camp 1 . camp up 1900-2000 From ⇨ ↑ camp 3 ]
1 . to set up a tent or shelter and stay there for a short time:
We’ll camp by the river for the night, and move on tomorrow.
camping gear/equipment
camping gear such as a sleeping bag, tent, and backpack
2 . go camping to visit an area, especially the mountains or a forest, and stay in a tent:
We went camping in the San Bernardino Mountains.
camp out phrasal verb
1 . to sleep outdoors, usually in a tent:
What he liked best about scouting was camping out.
2 . to stay somewhere where you do not have all the usual things that a house has:
We’ll just have to camp out until our furniture arrives.
camp something up phrasal verb informal
camp it up to deliberately use unnatural body or face movements, in a way that some people think is typical of a ↑ homosexual man
III. camp 3 BrE AmE adjective
[ Date: 1900-2000 ; Origin: Origin unknown ]
1 . a man who is camp moves or speaks in the way that people used to think was typical of ↑ homosexual s
2 . ( also campy American English ) clothes, decorations etc that are camp are very strange, bright, or unusual