camp

1 noun

1 (C, U) a place where people stay in temporary shelters, such as tents, usually for a short time: Let's go back to the camp - it's getting dark. | break camp (=take down a tent or shelter you have been using)

2 prison/labour etc camp a place where people are kept for a particular reason, when they do not want to be there: a refugee camp

-see also: concentration camp

3 (C, U) a place where young people go to relax and take part in activities, often as members of an organization: scout camp | summer camp

-see also: day camp, holiday camp

4 (C) a group of people or organizations who have the same ideas or principles, especially in politics: the extreme right-wing camp of the party

2 verb (I)

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 equipment

2 go camping to visit an area and stay in a tent: We went camping in the mountains last weekend.

camp out phrasal verb (I)

1 to sleep outdoors, usually in a tent

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 sth up phrasal verb (T) informal to deliberately behave in a funny, unnatural way, with too much movement or expression 3 adjective informal

1 a man who is camp moves or speaks in the way that people used to think was typical of homosexuals

2 clothes, decorations etc that are camp are very strange, bright, or unusual: Only you could get away with wearing that outfit - it's so camp!