Stamp
Pronunciation
- IPA: /stæmp/
- Rhymes: -æmp
Origin
From Middle English stampen ("to pound, crush"), from assumed Old English *stampian, variant of Old English stempan ("to crush, pound, pound in mortar, stamp"), from Proto-Germanic *stampijanÄ… ("to trample, beat"), from Proto-Indo-European *stemb- ("to trample down"). Cognate with Dutch stampen ("to stamp, pitch"), German stampfen ("to stamp"), Danish stampe ("to stamp"), Swedish stampa ("to stomp"), Occitan estampar. See also stomp.
Full definition of stamp
Noun
stamp
(plural stamps)- An act of stamping the foot, paw or hoof.The horse gave two quick stamps and rose up on its hind legs.
- 1922, Margery Williams, The Velveteen RabbitJust then there was a sound of footsteps, and the Boy ran past near them, and with a stamp of feet and a flash of white tails the two strange rabbits disappeared.
- An indentation or imprint made by stamping.My passport has quite a collection of stamps.
- A device for stamping designs.She loved to make designs with her collection of stamps.
- A small piece of paper bearing a design on one side and adhesive on the other.These stamps are purely decorative.
- A postage stamp.I need one first-class stamp to send this letter.
- (slang, figuratively) A tattoo
- (slang) A single dose of lysergic acid diethylamide
Synonyms
- (act of stamping):
- (indentation or imprint made by stamping):
- (device for stamping designs):
- (paper used to indicate postage has been paid): postage stamp
Derived terms
Verb
- (intransitive) To step quickly and heavily, once or repeatedly.The toddler screamed and stamped, but still got no candy.
- (transitive) To move (the foot or feet) quickly and heavily, once or repeatedly.The crowd cheered and stamped their feet in appreciation.
- (transitive) To strike, beat, or press forcibly with the bottom of the foot, or by thrusting the foot downward.
- DrydenHe frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the ground.
- (transitive) To mark by pressing quickly and heavily.This machine stamps the metal cover with a design.This machine stamps the design into the metal cover.
- (transitive) To give an official marking to, generally by impressing or imprinting a design or symbol.The immigration officer stamped my passport.
- (transitive) To apply postage stamps to.I forgot to stamp this letter.
- (transitive, figurative) To mark; to impress.
- John LockeGod ... has stamped no original characters on our minds wherein we may read his being.
- 2011, September 18, Ben Dirs, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia, England's superior conditioning began to show in the final quarter and as the game began to break up, their three-quarters began to stamp their authority on the game. And when Foden went on a mazy run from inside his own 22 and put Ashton in for a long-range try, any threat of an upset was when and truly snuffed out.