stamp

Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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See also: Stamp

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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-West Germanic *stampōn, *stampijan, from Proto-Germanic *stampōną, *stampijaną (“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, Polish stąpać (“to step, treat”). See also stomp, step. Marks indicating that postage had been paid were originally made by stamping the item to be mailed; when affixed pieces of paper were introduced for this purpose, the term “stamp” was transferred to cover this new form.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /stæmp/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio (UK)(file)
  • Rhymes: -æmp

Noun[edit]

stamp (plural stamps)

The first U.S. stamp
  1. 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 Rabbit
      Just 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.
  2. An indentation, imprint, or mark made by stamping.
    My passport has quite a collection of stamps.
  3. A device for stamping designs.
    She loved to make designs with her collection of stamps.
  4. A small piece of paper, with a design and a face value, used to prepay postage or other dues such as tax or licence fees.
    I need one first-class stamp to send this letter.
    Now that commerce is done electronically, tax stamps are no longer issued here.
  5. A small piece of paper bearing a design on one side and adhesive on the other, used to decorate letters or craft work.
    These stamps have a Christmas theme.
  6. (slang, figuratively) A tattoo.
  7. (slang) A single dose of lysergic acid diethylamide.
  8. A kind of heavy pestle, raised by water or steam power, for crushing ores.
  9. Cast; form; character; distinguishing mark or sign; evidence.
    the stamp of criminality
    • 1863, Sporting Magazine (volume 42, page 290)
      At a short distance from her were a pair of bathers of a very different stamp, if their operations deserved the name of bathing at all, viz., two girls on the confines of womanhood, presenting strong contrast to each other […]
    • 1902 February 28, “The Horse in South Africa”, in The Agricultural Journal and Mining Record‎[1], volume 4, number 26, page 828:
      Now, the horses at that period were all of a sturdy stamp […]

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

postage stamp — see postage stamp
any small piece of paper bearing a design on one side and adhesive on the other — See also translations at postage stamp

Verb[edit]

stamp (third-person singular simple present stamps, present participle stamping, simple past and past participle stamped)

  1. (intransitive) To step quickly and heavily, once or repeatedly.
    The toddler screamed and stamped, but still got no candy.
  2. (transitive) To move (the foot or feet) quickly and heavily, once or repeatedly.
    The crowd cheered and stamped their feet in appreciation.
  3. (transitive) To strike, beat, or press forcibly with the bottom of the foot, or by thrusting the foot downward.
  4. (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.
  5. (transitive) To give an official marking to, generally by impressing or imprinting a design or symbol.
    The immigration officer stamped my passport.
  6. (transitive) To apply postage stamps to.
    I forgot to stamp this letter.
  7. (transitive, figuratively) To mark; to impress.
    • 1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], OCLC 153628242:
      , Book IV, Chapter X
      God […] 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”, in BBC Sport‎[2]:
      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.

Synonyms[edit]

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Related terms[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Dutch[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

stamp

  1. first-person singular present indicative of stampen
  2. imperative of stampen

Anagrams[edit]

Icelandic[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

stamp

  1. indefinite accusative singular of stampur

Norwegian Nynorsk[edit]

Verb[edit]

stamp

  1. imperative of stampa

Welsh[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From English stamp.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

stamp m or f (plural stampiau or stamps, not mutable)

  1. stamp (for postage, validation on a document, evidence of payment, etc.)

Further reading[edit]

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “stamp”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
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