camp

Universal Words noun, verb, adjective noun in tents 1 [C,U] a place where people live temporarily in tents or huts: Let's return to camp. * to pitch / make camp (= put up tents) * to break camp (= to take down tents) seealsoHOLIDAYCAMP holiday / vacation 2 [C,U] a place where young people go on holiday/vacation and take part in various activities or a particular activity: a tennis camp * He spent two weeks at camp this summer. * summer camp prison, etc. 3 [C] (used in compounds) a place where people are kept in huts or tents, especially by a government and often for long periods: a refugee camp * a camp guard seealsoCONCENTRATIONCAMP, PRISONCAMP, TRANSITCAMP army 4 [C,U] a place where soldiers live while they are training or fighting: an army camp group of people 5 [C] a group of people who have the same ideas about sth and oppose people with other ideas: the socialist camp * We were in opposing camps. * People are split into two camps on this issue. 6 [C] one of the sides in a competition and the people connected with it: There was an air of confidence in the England camp. IDIOMS see FOOTn. verb live in tent 1 [V] to put up a tent and live in it for a short time: I camped overnight in a field. 2 [V] (go camping) to stay in a tent, especially while you are on holiday/vacation: They go camping in France every year. stay for short time 3 [V] ~ (out) to live in sb's house for a short time, especially when you do not have a bed there: I'm camping out at a friend's apartment at the moment. PHRASALVERBS camp out to live outside for a short time: Dozens of reporters camped out on her doorstep. camp it up (BrE, informal) to behave in a very exaggerated manner, especially to attract attention to yourself or to make people laugh adjective 1 (BrE) (of a man or his manner) deliberately behaving in a way that some people think is typical of a HOMOSEXUAL SYNEFFEMINATE: He's so camp, isn't he? 2 exaggerated in style, especially in a deliberately amusing way: The movie is a camp celebration of the fashion industry.