often attributive
1
a
: a place usually away from urban areas where tents or simple buildings (such as cabins) are erected for shelter or for temporary residence (as for laborers, prisoners, or vacationers)
b
: a group of tents, cabins, or huts
fishing camps along the river
c
: a settlement newly sprung up in a lumbering or mining region
d
: a place usually in the country for recreation or instruction often during the summer
also
: a program offering access to recreational or educational facilities for a limited period of time
a resort offering boating and hiking camps
e
: a preseason training session for athletes
the star pitcher injured in camp this spring
2
a
: a body of persons encamped
b(1)
: a group of persons
especially
: a group engaged in promoting or defending a theory, doctrine, position, or person
(2)
: an ideological position
3
: military service or life
intransitive verb
1
: to make camp or occupy a camp
2
: to live temporarily in a camp or outdoors
—often used with out
3
: to take up one's quarters : lodge
4
: to take up one's position : settle down
—often used with out camp out in the library for the afternoon
1
a
: something so outrageously artificial, affected, inappropriate, or out-of-date as to be considered amusing
This version of the play is camp: outrageous in concept and wild in its execution with double entendres flying every which way.
b
: a style or mode of personal or creative expression that is absurdly exaggerated and often fuses elements of high and popular culture
a movie that celebrates camp
2
: exaggerated effeminate mannerisms (as of speech or gesture)
: of, relating to, being, or displaying camp : campy
camp send-ups of the songs of the fifties and sixties—
John Elsom
intransitive verb
: to engage in camp : exhibit the qualities of camp
he … was camping, hands on hips, with a quick eye to notice every man who passed by—
R. M. McAlmon
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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