camp

I.

n.

1) A place to live in, generallytemporary; a rest.

1885. H. Finch-Hatton, `Advance Australia,' pp. 46, 47:

«I was shown my camp, which was a slab but about a hundredyards away from the big house. . . . I was rather tired, andnot sorry for the prospect of a camp.»

2) A place for mustering cattle.

1885. H. Finch-Hatton, `Advance Australia,' p. 64:

«All about the run, at intervals of fire or six miles, arecattle-camps, and the cattle that belong to the surroundingdistricts are mustered on their respective camps.»

1896. A. B. Paterson, `Man from Snowy River,' p. 26:

«There was never his like in the open bush,

And never his match on the cattle-camps.»

3) In Australia, frequently used for a camping-out expedition.Often in composition with «out,» a camp-out.

1869. `Colonial Monthly,' vol. iv.p. 289:

«A young fellow with even a moderate degree of sensibility mustbe excited by the novelty of his first `camp-out' in theAustralian bush.»

1880. R. H. Inglis, `Australian Cousins,' p. 233:

«We're going to have a regular camp; we intend going to Port

Hocking to have some shooting, fishing, and general diversion.»

4) A name for Sydney and for Hobart, now long obsolete,originating when British military forces were stationed there.

1827. P. Cunningham, `Two Years in New South Wales,' vol. ii.p. 70:

«It is the old resident – – he who still calls Sydney, with itspopulation of twelve thousand inhabitants, thecamp, – – that can appreciate these things: he who stillrecollects the few earth-huts and solitary tents scatteredthrough the forest brush surrounding Sydney Cove (knownproperly then indeed by the name of `The Camp').»

1852. Mrs. Meredith, `My Home in Tasmania,' vol. i. p. 193:

«Living during the winter in Hobarton, usually called `thecamp,' in those days.»

II.

v.

1) Generally in composition with «out,» to sleep in the open air, usually without any covering.Camping out is exceedingly common in Australia owing to thewarmth of the climate and the rarity of rain.

1867. Lady Barker, `Station Life in New Zealand,' p. 125:

«I like to hear of benighted or belated travellers when theyhave had to `camp out,' as it is technically called.»

1875. R. and F. Hill, `What we saw in Australia,' p. 208:

«So the Bishop determined to `camp-out' at once where a goodfire could be made.»

1881. A. C. Grant, `Bush Life in Queensland,' vol. ii. p. 43:

«There is room here for fifty, rolled up on the floor; andshould that fail them, there is no end of other places; or thebush, as a fall back, where, indeed, some of them prefercamping as it is.»

1891. `The Australasian,' Nov. 14, p. 963, col. 1: `A Lady inthe Kermadecs':

«For three months I `camped out' there alone, shepherding aflock of Angoras.»

2) By extension, to sleep in any unusual place, or at anunusual time.

1893. `Review of Reviews' (Australasian ed. ), March, p. 51:

«The campaign came to an abrupt and somewhat inglorious close,

Sir George Dibbs having to `camp' in a railway carriage, and

Sir Henry Parkes being flood-bound at Quirindi.»

1896. Modern:

«Visitor, – – `Where's your Mother?' `Oh, she's camping.'» [Thelady was enjoying an afternoon nap indoors.]

3) To stop for a rest in the middle of the day.

1891. Mrs. Cross (Ada Cambridge), `The Three Miss Kings,'p. 180:

«We'll have lunch first before we investigate the caves – – ifit's agreeable to you. I will take the horses out, and we'llfind a nice place to camp before they come.»

4) To floor or prove superior to. Slang.

1886. C. H. Kendall, `Poems,' p. 207:

«At punching oxen you may guess

There's nothing out can camp him.

He has, in fact, the slouch and dress,

Which bullock-driver stamp him.»