Lamp Meaning
/ˈlæ̞mp/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA device that generates heat, light or other radiation. Especially an electric light bulb.
nounA device containing oil, burnt through a wick for illumination; an oil lamp.
Sentence Examples
I'm going to sit on the bench over there next to the street lamp.
The lamp on the desk had an out-of-kilter lampshade.
The lamp has a heavy base.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She turned on the ____ because the room was too dark to read.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She turned on the small desk ____ so that she could see better while she was reading her book tonight.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English laumpe, lampe, from Old French lampe (“lamp, light”), from Latin lampas (“torch, lamp, light”), from Ancient Greek λαμπάς (lampás, “torch, lamp, beacon, light, meteor”), from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂p- (“to shine”). Cognate with Lithuanian lópė (“light”), Welsh llachar (“bright”). Displaced native Old English lēohtfæt (literally “light-vat”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Another man said, “If someone [a customer]^([sic]) gave me loads of hassle, I'd end up lamping them.” Several of them, in fact, had lost their jobs when they lamped the boss."
— 2009 May 20, Margaret Wente, “We are witnessing the passing of working-class masculinity”, in The Globe and Mail, archived from the original on 27 May 2009:
"All for the pleasure of lamping a twat in the face."
— 2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 337:
"I'm in my Flavmobile cold lamping. I took a G upstate cold camping. To the Poconos, we call a hideaways. A bag of franks and a bag of Frito-Lays."
— 1988 June 28, “Cold Lampin' With Flavor” (track 4), in It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, performed by Public Enemy:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She turned on the ____ because the room was too dark to read.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She turned on the small desk ____ so that she could see better while she was reading her book tonight.