decamp

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to leave a place suddenly or secretly, often in order to avoid trouble

   When reporters arrived, the suspect had already decamped through a rear door.

2. 2
   verb

   to break up a camp and move away

   At dawn, the expedition began to decamp before the storm reached the valley.

Borrowed from French decamper, from Middle French descamper, formed from des- or de- ('away from, reversal') + camper, 'to camp.' Its literal military sense was 'break camp'; the abruptness of such a departure produced the broader and often humorous sense 'leave suddenly.'

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