lamp

Meanings

Noun

• A device that generates heat, light or other radiation. Especially an electric light bulb.
• A device containing oil, burnt through a wick for illumination; an oil lamp.
• A piece of furniture holding one or more electric light sockets.

Verb

• To hit, clout, belt, wallop.
• To hunt at night using a lamp; see lamping.
• To hang out or chill; to do nothing in particular.

Origin

• From Middle English laumpe, lampe, from Old French lampe ("lamp, light"), from Latin lampas ("torch, lamp, light"), from Ancient Greek λαμπάς ("torch, lamp, beacon, light, meteor"), from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂p- ("to shine"). Cognate with Lithuanian lópė ("light"), Welsh llachar ("bright"). Replaced Middle English leohtfet, lihtfat, from Old English lēohtfæt ("lamp, lantern, torch, light").