▪ I. rampire, -pier, n. Now arch.
(ˈræmpaɪə(r))
Forms: α. 6 rampair(e, -are, -eare, 6–7 rampar, rampere, 6–7 (9 dial.) ramper. β. 6 rampyre, 6– rampire, rampier, (7 -iar, -yer).
[a. obs. F. rampar (Godef. Compl.), var. rempar, rempart rampart. The origin of the β-forms is not clear; cf. hampire, -ier obs. forms of hamper n.1 and camphire camphor n. Sheridan (1789) gives rampyr, and marks the final syllable as short.]
1. = rampart.
| α a 1548 Patten Exped. Scotl. A vj, My lordes grace, walking vpon the Rampere of the tounewalles [etc.]. 1557 N. T. (Genev.) Luke xix. 43 Thy enemies shalt cast rampars about thee. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 396 A certain piece of the wall and Rampeare was falled downe. 1599 Hakluyt Voy. II. i. 125 The battered earth, which fell in the ditches from the rampaire. 1604 E. Grimstone Hist. Siege Ostend 133 The dike,..Rampars and defences. 1689 Def. Liberty agst. Tyrants 56 Fortifying..by Ravelins, Ditches, and Rampers, the Temple of God. |
| β a 1557 Vaux in Tottell's Misc. (Arb.) 172 Good will the master of the shot, Stode in the rampyre braue and proud. 1579 Digges Stratiot. 93 He ought to have knowledge in Fortification, especially in the manner of making Trenches and Rampiers. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1638) 82 The Venetians..built a strong tower of wood, higher than the wals and rampiars of the towne. 1665 Manley Grotius' Low-C. Warres 97 They begin to fortifie their City with strong Bulwarks and Rampires. 1747 Carte Hist. Eng. I. 110 It is fenced with an high treble rampire. 1813 Scott Trierm. i. xiii, Buttress, and rampire's circling bound. 1870 F. R. Wilson Ch. Lindisf. 71 On its wide summit there is a strong rampier built of stone. |
† b. A dam, barrier.
Obs.| 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. 604 To strengthen with rampires the banks of rivers. 1611 Coryat Crudities 257 The great long banke..which is interjected as a strong Rampier betwixt the Adriatique sea and the citie. 1764 Goldsm. Trav. 286 Sedulous to stop the coming tide, Lift the tall rampire's artificial pride. |
c. dial. A raised road or way; the highway.
| 1848 in Evans Leic. Gloss. 1864 in Mem. Tennyson (1897) II. i. 9 When I canters my 'erse along the ramper I 'ears proputty, proputty, proputty. 1881 Gd. Words Nov. 752 Along the rutted ramper Thory wheels His barrow. |
2. transf. and
fig. A thing or person resembling or comparable to a rampart.
| 1567 Turberv. Epit. etc. 37 A Patrone to the poore, a Rampire to the rest. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia v. (1598) 443 Fortifying courage with the true Rampier of patience. 1592 Kyd Sp. Trag. i. ii. 50 With a swelling tide, It beats upon the rampiers of huge rocks. 1611 Sir W. Mure Misc. Poems i. 16 To siege, and sack the Rampier of my ressoune. 1627 E. F. Hist. Edw. II (1680) 58 Makes himself a Rampire of all his Servants, Friends and Kindred. 1700 Dryden Iliad i. 401 The son of Thetis, rampire of our hosts. 1880 Swinburne Stud. Song 116 The rampire of water in front is erect. 1881 ― Mary Stuart iv. i, Of those claims..have you made The stoutest rampire of your rule. |
3. attrib. and
Comb., as
rampire bank,
rampire bar,
rampire-like adj.,
rampire-mound,
rampire wall.
| 1555 T. Phaer æneid ii. 39 The fomy flood whose *rampier banks are torne. |
| 1776 Mickle tr. Camoens' Lusiad 112 Dash'd the fierce monarch on a *rampire bar. |
| 1635 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Banish'd Virg. 179 That sinuous Region..is ever..calme; thankes to the *rampire-like sheltring rocks and cragges. |
| 1866 Conington æneid 6 Banks them round With sand as with a *rampire-mound. |
| 1688 R. Holme Armoury iii. 457/1 A *Rampiar Wall..or Coffer worke. |
▪ II. rampire, -pier, v. Now
arch. (
ˈræmpaɪər)
Forms: α. 6–7
rampar(e,
-air,
-er. β. 6
rampyer,
-iere, 6–7
rampier, 6–7 (9)
rampire.
[a. F. († ramparer), remparer (15th c.) to fortify, etc., f. re- re- + emparer to take possession of, ad. Prov. amparar, f. L. ante- + parāre (cf. prepare).] † 1. trans. To strengthen, increase the strength of (a bulwark, gate, etc.) against attack; to block
up (a gate) for this purpose,
esp. by piling earth behind it; to close
up (an opening).
Obs.| 1552 Edw. VI. Lett. (Roxb.) 81 We find the bulwarkes chargeable, massie, wel rampared. 1557 in Strype Eccl. Mem. (1721) III. ii. App. lxxix. 275 The Englishmen within, looking for the siege, had rampered up the gates. 1596 R. H. tr. Lavaterus' Ghostes 83 A brasen gate being fast rampierd with barres. 1622 J. Reynolds God's Revenge ii. 81 He sees..the draw-bridges and approches drawn up, and rampired up with Barricadoes. 1632 Lithgow Trav. ii. 48 The walls [of the city] are strongly rampired with earth. |
2. To fortify, strengthen, or protect (a place),
esp. by a rampart. Now only
arch.| 1550 in Hodgson Hist. Northumb. iii. II. 200 That side to be massively rampiered with earth. 1553 Brende Q. Curtius F viij, Havinge rampared the prores for defence of the souldiers that were behinde. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World v. i. §10 (1634) 574 The fort of Elsenour; which at that time was not so well rampard, as now perhaps it is. a 1656 Ussher Ann. (1658) 221 His Camp was no better rampiered than it should be. 1855 Singleton Virgil I. 238 Rampire with abundant power Long Alba. |
| transf. and fig. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World ii. (1634) 254 Knowing the strength of his owne Countrey,..rampir'd with high and sharpe Mountains. 1631 Massinger Believe as you List iii. iii, There is no touch of moral honesty Though rampired in your soul, but will fly from you. |
b. To shut
up or
out as with a rampart.
rare.
| 1566 Sir H. Sidney in Four C. Eng. Lett. 24 Nature hath rampired up (as it were) the tongue with teeth, lips, yea and hair without the lips. 1606 N. Baxter Sir P. Sidney's Ourania M i, Within a branchie filme there lyeth the braine, Close rampir'd vp with Barracados twaine. 1873 Lytton Kenelm. Chil. v. iv. (1878) 312 Trees..which rampired out all horizon beyond. |
† 3. To fix or establish firmly.
Obs. rare.
| 1555 Eden Decades 5 Hyghe trees, sette close together and fast rampaired in the grounde. a 1670 Hacket Cent. Serm. (1675) 396 When men have rampared witty shifts against truth, it is in vain to tell them [etc.]. |
Hence
ˈrampired ppl. a.,
ˈrampiring vbl. n.| 1582 Stanyhurst æneis i. (Arb.) 26 With thick bulwarck shal he fence thee rampired Alba. 1657 Reeve God's Plea 168 Where there is unity there needeth no barricadoing nor rampering. 1776 Mickle tr. Camoens' Lusiad vii. 311 Rampired walls lie smoaking on the ground. 1873 Browning Red Cotton Night-Cap Country 1381 Grass..contemptible Compared with solid rock, the rampired ridge. |