What is "ramp"

Ramp \Ramp\ (r[a^]mp), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Ramped (r[a^]mt; 215); p. pr. & vb. n. Ramping.] [F. ramper to creep, OF., to climb; of German origin; cf. G. raffen to snatch, LG. & D. rapen. See Rap to snatch, and cf. Romp.]

1. To spring; to leap; to bound; to rear; to prance; to become rampant; hence, to frolic; to romp.

2. To move by leaps, or as by leaps; hence, to move swiftly or with violence.

   Their bridles they would champ, And trampling the fine element would fiercely ramp.
   --Spenser.

3. To climb, as a plant; to creep up.

   With claspers and tendrils, they [plants] catch hold, . . . and so ramping upon trees, they mount up to a great height.
   --Ray.

Ramp \Ramp\, n.

1. A leap; a spring; a hostile advance.

   The bold Ascalonite Fled from his lion ramp.
   --Milton.

2. A highwayman; a robber. [Prov. Eng.]

3. A romping woman; a prostitute. [Obs.]
   --Lyly.

4. [F. rampe.] (Arch.)

   1. Any sloping member, other than a purely constructional one, such as a continuous parapet to a staircase.

   2. A short bend, slope, or curve, where a hand rail or cap changes its direction.

5. [F. rampe.] (Fort.) An inclined plane serving as a communication between different interior levels.

1778, "slope," from French rampe, back-formation from Old French verb ramper "to climb, scale, mount;" see ramp (v.). Meaning "road on or off a major highway" is from 1952, American English.

"rude, boisterous girl or woman," mid-15c., perhaps from ramp (v.). Compare romp in Johnson's Dictionary (1755): "a rude, awkward, boisterous, untaught girl."

c.1300, "to climb; to stand on the hind legs" (of animals), from Old French ramper "to climb, scale, mount" (12c., in Modern French "to creep, crawl"), perhaps from Frankish *rampon "to contract oneself" (compare Old High German rimpfan "to wrinkle," Old English hrimpan "to fold, wrinkle"), via notion of the bodily contraction involved in climbing [Klein], from Proto-Germanic *hrimp- "to contract oneself." Related: Ramped; ramping.

Etymology 1 n. 1 An inclined surface that connects two levels; an incline. 2 A road that connects a freeway to a surface street or another freeway. 3 (context aviation English) A mobile staircase that is attached to the doors of an aircraft at an airport 4 (context aviation English) A place where an aircraft parks, next to a terminal, for loading and unloading (see also apron) 5 (context skating English) A construction used to do skating tricks, usually in the form of part of a pipe. 6 A speed bump vb. 1 To behave violently; to rage. 2 To spring; to leap; to bound, rear, or prance; to move swiftly or violently. 3 To climb, like a plant; to creep up. 4 To stand in a rampant position. (rfex) 5 (context intransitive English) To change value, often at a steady rate Etymology 2

n. 1 An American plant, (taxlink Allium tricoccum species noshow=1), related to the onion; a wild leek. 2 (context Appalachia English) A promiscuous man or woman; a general insult for a worthless person.

1. n. an inclined surface or roadway that moves traffic from one level to another [syn: incline]

2. North American perennial having a slender bulb and whitish flowers [syn: wild leek, Allium tricoccum]

3. a movable staircase that passengers use to board or leave an aircraft

1. v. behave violently, as if in state of a great anger [syn: rage, storm]

2. furnish with a ramp; "The ramped auditorium"

3. be rampant; "the lion is rampant in this heraldic depiction"

4. creep up -- used especially of plants; "The roses ramped over the wall"

5. stand with arms or forelegs raised, as if menacing

RAMP was an American soul/ jazz band from Cincinnati, Ohio. Andy Kellman glosses the band's name as "Roy Ayers Music Productions"; others have interpreted it as "Roy Ayers Music Project" - but Ayers was not a member, though he did write and produce songs on the group's debut album.

The group released one album, Come Into Knowledge (1977), subsequently considered a classic among rare-groove collectors, artists (such as PM Dawn and A Tribe Called Quest who have used RAMP samples in their music) and Roy Ayers fans. Featuring the vocals of Sharon Matthews and Sibel Thrasher, the album was recorded in New York and California. The group was a vehicle for the songwriting talents of Roy Ayers and Edwin Birdsong. Released in 1977, the set featured a version of Roy Ayers' "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" along with the 'rare groove' track "Daylight". The 12" vinyl release of the album used to (and still does) command very high prices as the album had originally never been released on any other format. The album was eventually re-released on CD in 2007.

The group split up shortly afterwards, but reformed in 2006 for new tours and recordings. RAMP performed June 30, 2007, with Washington, DC, jazz pianist Will Rast at Central Park SummerStage in New York City.

In 2008, the song "Daylight" featured Grand Theft Auto IV on the fictional radio station The Vibe 98.8.