# lamp

Pronunciation: say "LAMP" /læmp/

## Noun

1. An item of furniture fitted with one or more sockets that hold electric light bulbs.
   - Simple: A piece of furniture that holds one or more electric light bulbs.
   - _A brass lamp stood on the side table beside the sofa._
   - _The hotel placed matching lamps on either side of the bed._
2. An electric light bulb or other device that produces light, heat, or another form of radiation.
   - Simple: A device that makes light, heat, or other rays, such as an electric light bulb.
   - _Engineers tested a lamp that emits ultraviolet radiation._
   - _The lamp in the incubator radiated steady warmth all night._
3. A device holding oil that is burned through a wick to give light.
   - Simple: A container of oil that burns through a wick to give light.
   - _The fisherman refilled the lamp with oil before rowing out at dusk._
   - _A faint glow from the lamp flickered as the wick burned low._

## Verb

4. To hit, clout, or wallop someone forcefully. *(slang, UK)*
   - Simple: To hit someone hard with your fist.
   - _She lamped him across the head with her bag._
   - _One more word and the landlord threatened to lamp the troublemaker._
5. To hunt at night using a bright lamp to dazzle the animal or to attract insects for capture. *(Ireland, UK)*
   - Simple: To hunt animals at night by shining a bright light to dazzle them.
   - _Local gamekeepers lamp foxes to protect the lambs in spring._
   - _They spent the night lamping hares on the open moor._
6. To hang out and relax, doing nothing in particular. *(slang, US)*
   - Simple: To relax and do nothing in particular.
   - _After finals, the roommates just lamped for a week._
   - _On Sundays they like to lamp in the park and watch the world go by._
7. To convert a vase, urn, or similar object into a table lamp.
   - Simple: To turn a vase, urn, or similar object into a table lamp.
   - _The decorator lamped an antique Chinese vase for the client's study._
   - _With the right fittings you can lamp a heavy stone urn._

## Origin

It came through Middle English "laumpe" and Old French "lampe" from Latin "lampas" (torch, lamp, light), which came from Ancient Greek λαμπάς (lampás), from the Proto-Indo-European root *leh₂p- meaning "to shine." It is related to Lithuanian "lópė" (light) and Welsh "llachar" (bright), and it replaced the native Old English "lēohtfæt."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/lamp (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).