to depart from a camp; to pack up equipment and leave a camping ground:
We decamped before the rain began.
2.
to depart quickly, secretly, or unceremoniously:
The band of thieves decamped in the night.
Origin
1670-80; < Frenchdécamper, equivalent to dé-dis-1 + camper to encamp; see camp1
Related forms
decampment, noun
Examples from the web for decamp
Naturally the aide-decamp had not had the forethought to provide himself with either, so he took his departure.
The tents and the tent-life are more interesting for the moment than objects which cannot decamp.
If they suspect that universities, too, are full of spooks they will decamp.
Some, however, are being offered double that to decamp to rivals.
If taxes or costs increase in a country, multinationals simply decamp.
But for this evening, the decamp to dinner had begun.
British Dictionary definitions for decamp
decamp
/dɪˈkæmp/
verb (intransitive)
1.
to leave a camp; break camp
2.
to depart secretly or suddenly; abscond
Derived Forms
decampment, noun
Word Origin and History for decamp
v.
1670s, from French décamper (17c.), earlier descamper, from des- (see dis-) + camper (see camp (n.)). Non-military use is from 1751. Related: Decamped; decamping.