rampant, a. (n.)
(ˈræmpənt)
Also 5 raump-; 4–6 -aunt, (5 -awnt), 5–6 -and.
[a. F. rampant, pres. pple. of ramper ramp v.1
By Wyclif and Trevisa inaccurately employed to render L. rapiens and rapax. In northern Eng. and Sc. prior to 1600 rampand is properly the pres. pple. of ramp.
In early use freq. placed after the n., as in French; now only in Her., or with suggestion of this.]
A. adj.
1. Of beasts, esp. lions: Rearing or standing with the fore-paws in the air.
| 1382 Wyclif Ps. xxi. 14 Thei openeden vp on me ther mouth; as a leoun rampaunt [L. rapiens] and rorende. ? 14.. Leg. Rood 145 Þe deuel stod lyk A lyon raumpaunt. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xviii. (Percy Soc.) 79 Rampande lyons stode up wondersly. 1601 Holland Pliny viii. xvi, When he chaseth and followeth after other beasts, hee goeth alwaies saltant or rampant. 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 466 The Tawnie Lion..Rampant shakes his Brinded main. 1735 Somerville Chase i. 196 Then on their Haunches rear'd, rampant they seize Each other's Throats. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. i. vi, Careful how he moved his lion paws lest he should crush a rampant..mouse. |
| transf. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 52 The one part of them wearing naked Swords rampant in one Hand. |
| Comb. 1852 Mundy Antipodes (1857) 185 The rampant-looking rocks of the ‘Cavallos’. |
b. spec. in
Her. ‘Standing on the Sinister hind⁓leg, with both forelegs elevated, the Dexter above the Sinister, and the head in profile’ (Cussans).
| 14.. Sir Beues 177/3480 (M.) Syr Beuys bare of colour poymant A rede lyon of golde rampant. 1562 Leigh Armorie (1597) 45 You must note heere the difference [of] the Lyon rampande, and this Lyon [saliant]. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, v. i. 203 Old Neuils Crest, The rampant Beare chain'd to the ragged staffe. a 1667 Cowley Ess., Agric. Wks. 1710 II. 709 Lillies, and Lions Rampant, and Spread Eagles in Fields d'Or. 1724 Ramsay On Royal Comp. Archers 21 Well pleas'd the rampant Lyon smooths his mane. 1814 Scott Wav. xi, The chosen crest of our family, a bear, as ye observe, and rampant. |
| transf. 1633 T. Adams Exp. 2 Peter iii. 12. 1346 God is no Iudge Dormant, nor Demurant, nor Rampant. 1641 Brome Joviall Crew ii. Wks. 1873 III. 376 Couchant and Passant, Guardant, Rampant Beggars. |
c. Given to ramping; of a fierce disposition.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 447 Bestes rampaunt [L. rapaces] spare her owne kynde. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. July 21 The rampant Lyon hunts he fast, With dogges of noysome breath. 1641 J. Jackson True Evang. T. i. 66 To make the condemnation of these ravenous Wolves, and Lion rampants, more just. |
d. Exhibiting fierceness or high spirits by ramping or similar movements. Also
const. with.
| a 1529 Skelton Agst. Scottes 135 The Whyte Lyon, there rampaunt of moode, He ragyd and rent out your hart bloode. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 155 The Monster at first was very Rampant and looked upon these Enemies with great Disdain. 1748 Thomson Cast. Indol. ii. lviii, The younglings frisk along the meads..Rampant with life. 1843 P. Parley's Ann. IV. 235 A wild boar, rampant from a forest. |
2. transf. a. Of persons: Violent and extravagant in action, opinion, etc. (
esp. in the manner implied by the
n.).
| 1628 Earle Microcosm., Player (Arb.) 42 He is tragicall on the Stage, but rampant in the Tyring-house, and sweares oathes there which he neuer con'd. 1709 in Hearne Collect. (O.H.S.) II. 324 note, The Whiggs are rampant, and thinke to carry all before them. 1848 Thackeray Bk. Snobs xvii, The English Snob rampant always does this to the present day. 1858 Hawthorne Fr. & It. Note-bks. II. 137 The crowd has not spirit and self-consciousness enough to be rampant. 1877 Dawson Orig. of World xiii. 264 Some very rampant theorists of some ethnological schools. |
b. Of things: Unchecked, unrestrained, aggressive, etc.;
esp. of a quality, belief, state of things, etc.: Having full sway or unchecked course in the individual or (more commonly) in general society.
| 1619 Sir R. Naunton in Fortescue Pap. (Camden) 95 In whom theyr hope is now growen rampant. 1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. v. xviii. §4 It grieved him to see ignorance and impiety so rampant. 1673 Grew Acc. Veget. Roots §66 The Sulphureous or Oyly Parts, which were before concentred, are now more or less rampant. 1718 Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 392 The great thing I fear..is, that Arianism turn rampant. 1795–7 Southey Juvenile & Minor Poems Wks. 1838 II. 227 Iniquity abounds, and rampant Vice..taints The herd of humankind. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. I. xvi. 186 The tide was low, the ice rampant. 1877 Mrs. Oliphant Makers Flor. ii. 31 This curious outbreak of rampant democracy. |
† 3. Lustful; vicious.
Obs.| c 1680 Beveridge Serm. (1729) I. 36 Lest his body should grow rampant..the church orders him to fast. 1732 Fielding Miser iv. xiv, The young fellows of this age are so rampant, that even degrees of kindred can't restrain them. 1812 H. & J. Smith Rej. Addr., Archit. Atoms, The rampant lessons of the stews. |
4. Of plants or their growth: Rank, luxurious.
| 1764 Museum Rust. II. 298 Where a fine sheep-walk is wanted, the sweeter and less-rampant grasses will, of course, be chosen. 1796 C. Marshall Garden. xvi. (1813) 271 A rich [soil]..makes them [nasturtiums] too rampant and less fruitful. 1867 D. G. Mitchell Rural Stud. 34 Its rampant growth will cover your trellised porch in a pair of seasons. |
5. Arch. Of an arch or vault: Having the abutments or springing lines on different levels.
| 1725 W. Halfpenny Sound Building 5 To draw a Rampant Semicircular Arch. 1842 Gwilt Archit. §1943 To draw a rampant pointed arch, whose span,..and the height of the ramp are given. |
† B. n. = ramp n.1 Obs. rare—1.
| 1671 Prol. to Shadwell's Humorists, These Rampants have a hungry Worm indeed. |