camp
♦♦ camp /k'æmp/ (camps camping camped)
1 [N-COUNT] oft n N
A camp is a collection of huts and other buildings that is provided for a particular group of people, such as refugees, prisoners, or soldiers, as a place to live or stay.
...a refugee camp...
2,500 foreign prisoners-of-war, including Americans, had been held in camps near Tambov.
2 [N-VAR]
A camp is an outdoor area with buildings, tents, or caravans where people stay on holiday.
3 [N-VAR]
A camp is a collection of tents or caravans where people are living or staying, usually temporarily while they are travelling.
...gypsy camps...
We'll make camp on that hill ahead.
4 [VERB] V
If you camp somewhere, you stay or live there for a short time in a tent or caravan, or in the open air.
We camped near the beach.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
Camp out means the same as camp.
For six months they camped out in a caravan in a meadow at the back of the house.
● camping [N-UNCOUNT]
They went camping in the wilds.
...a camping trip.
5 [N-COUNT] usu supp N
You can refer to a group of people who all support a particular person, policy, or idea as a particular camp.
The press release provoked furious protests from the Gore camp and other top Democrats.
6 [ADJ]
If you describe someone's behaviour, performance, or style of dress as camp, you mean that it is exaggerated and amusing, often in a way that is thought to be typical of some male homosexuals. (INFORMAL)
James Barron turns in a delightfully camp performance.
[N-UNCOUNT]
Camp is also a noun.
The video was seven minutes of high camp and melodrama.
7
see also camped, aide-de-camp, holiday camp, holiday camp, labour camp, prison camp, training camp
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If a performer camps it up, they deliberately perform in an exaggerated and often amusing way. (INFORMAL)boot camp (boot camps)
[N-VAR]
In the United States, a boot camp is a camp where people who have just joined the army, navy, or marines are trained. (AM)camp bed (camp beds)
[N-COUNT]
A camp bed is a small bed that you can fold up. (BRIT; in AM, use cot)camp fol|low|er (camp followers)
also camp-follower
1 [N-COUNT]
If you describe someone as a camp follower, you mean that they do not officially belong to a particular group or movement but support it for their own advantage.
...the Tory leader's friends and camp followers.
2 [N-COUNT]
Camp followers are people who travel with an army or other group, especially members of soldiers' families, or people who supply goods and services to the army.camp out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you say that people camp out somewhere in the open air, you are emphasizing that they stay there for a long time, because they are waiting for something to happen.
...reporters who had camped out in anticipation of her arrival.
see camp 4con|cen|tra|tion camp (concentration camps)
[N-COUNT]
A concentration camp is a prison in which large numbers of ordinary people are kept in very bad conditions, usually during a war.death camp (death camps)
[N-COUNT]
A death camp is a place where prisoners are kept, especially during a war, and where many of them die or are killed.holi|day camp (holiday camps)
[N-COUNT]
In Britain, a holiday camp is a place which provides holiday accommodation and entertainment for large numbers of people.la|bour camp (labour camps)
in AM, use labor camp
[N-COUNT]
A labour camp is a kind of prison, where the prisoners are forced to do hard, physical work, usually outdoors.pris|on camp (prison camps)
1 [N-COUNT]
A prison camp is a guarded camp where prisoners of war or political prisoners are kept.
He was shot down over Denmark and spent three years in a prison camp.
2 [N-COUNT]
A prison camp is a prison where the prisoners are not considered dangerous and are allowed to work outside the prison. (AM)sum|mer camp (summer camps)
[N-COUNT]
In the United States, a summer camp is a place in the country where parents can pay to send their children during the school summer holidays. The children staying there can take part in many outdoor and social activities.train|ing camp (training camps)
[N-COUNT]
A training camp for soldiers or sports players is an organized period of training at a particular place.
1 [N-COUNT] oft n N
A camp is a collection of huts and other buildings that is provided for a particular group of people, such as refugees, prisoners, or soldiers, as a place to live or stay.
...a refugee camp...
2,500 foreign prisoners-of-war, including Americans, had been held in camps near Tambov.
2 [N-VAR]
A camp is an outdoor area with buildings, tents, or caravans where people stay on holiday.
3 [N-VAR]
A camp is a collection of tents or caravans where people are living or staying, usually temporarily while they are travelling.
...gypsy camps...
We'll make camp on that hill ahead.
4 [VERB] V
If you camp somewhere, you stay or live there for a short time in a tent or caravan, or in the open air.
We camped near the beach.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
Camp out means the same as camp.
For six months they camped out in a caravan in a meadow at the back of the house.
● camping [N-UNCOUNT]
They went camping in the wilds.
...a camping trip.
5 [N-COUNT] usu supp N
You can refer to a group of people who all support a particular person, policy, or idea as a particular camp.
The press release provoked furious protests from the Gore camp and other top Democrats.
6 [ADJ]
If you describe someone's behaviour, performance, or style of dress as camp, you mean that it is exaggerated and amusing, often in a way that is thought to be typical of some male homosexuals. (INFORMAL)
James Barron turns in a delightfully camp performance.
[N-UNCOUNT]
Camp is also a noun.
The video was seven minutes of high camp and melodrama.
7
see also camped, aide-de-camp, holiday camp, holiday camp, labour camp, prison camp, training camp
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If a performer camps it up, they deliberately perform in an exaggerated and often amusing way. (INFORMAL)boot camp (boot camps)
[N-VAR]
In the United States, a boot camp is a camp where people who have just joined the army, navy, or marines are trained. (AM)camp bed (camp beds)
[N-COUNT]
A camp bed is a small bed that you can fold up. (BRIT; in AM, use cot)camp fol|low|er (camp followers)
also camp-follower
1 [N-COUNT]
If you describe someone as a camp follower, you mean that they do not officially belong to a particular group or movement but support it for their own advantage.
...the Tory leader's friends and camp followers.
2 [N-COUNT]
Camp followers are people who travel with an army or other group, especially members of soldiers' families, or people who supply goods and services to the army.camp out
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you say that people camp out somewhere in the open air, you are emphasizing that they stay there for a long time, because they are waiting for something to happen.
...reporters who had camped out in anticipation of her arrival.
see camp 4con|cen|tra|tion camp (concentration camps)
[N-COUNT]
A concentration camp is a prison in which large numbers of ordinary people are kept in very bad conditions, usually during a war.death camp (death camps)
[N-COUNT]
A death camp is a place where prisoners are kept, especially during a war, and where many of them die or are killed.holi|day camp (holiday camps)
[N-COUNT]
In Britain, a holiday camp is a place which provides holiday accommodation and entertainment for large numbers of people.la|bour camp (labour camps)
in AM, use labor camp
[N-COUNT]
A labour camp is a kind of prison, where the prisoners are forced to do hard, physical work, usually outdoors.pris|on camp (prison camps)
1 [N-COUNT]
A prison camp is a guarded camp where prisoners of war or political prisoners are kept.
He was shot down over Denmark and spent three years in a prison camp.
2 [N-COUNT]
A prison camp is a prison where the prisoners are not considered dangerous and are allowed to work outside the prison. (AM)sum|mer camp (summer camps)
[N-COUNT]
In the United States, a summer camp is a place in the country where parents can pay to send their children during the school summer holidays. The children staying there can take part in many outdoor and social activities.train|ing camp (training camps)
[N-COUNT]
A training camp for soldiers or sports players is an organized period of training at a particular place.