▪ I. lamper, n. U.S. colloq.
(ˈlæmpə(r))
[f. lamp n.1 + -er1.]
(See quot.)
| 1886 Pall Mall G. 23 Sept. 12/1 In Philadelphia, women make a good living as professional ‘lampers’. They contract to call each day, and trim and keep in perfect order the lamps of the household. |
Restrict U.S. colloq. to sense in Dict. Add: 2. One who engages in lamping (sense *2).
| 1985 BBC Wildlife July 326/2 The lampers had split up, though still within contact distance (working two men and a dog to a beam)... A lamper well to my rear caught her [sc. a vixen] in his light. 1991 Working Terrier Feb. 4/2 The Mansfield & Ashfield Recorder..printed a front page editorial..which again carried a police officer being quoted as saying ‘diggers and lampers should not be approached as they are just as likely to hit you over the head with a spade as hit an animal’. |
▪ II. lamper, v. dial.
(ˈlæmpə(r))
[? freq. of lamp v.2; see -er5.]
intr. (See quot. 1895.)
| 1727 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Hart, Now there are three ways to know when a Hart is spent. 1. He will run stiff, high and lampering. 1895 E. Angl. Gloss., To lamper along, to take big strides. |