1. trans. In military sense: To form into a camp: to settle or lodge in a camp.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 618. He encamped his armye very stronglye, both with trenches and artillery.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., V. ii. 126. Bid him encampe his Souldiers where they are.
1640. E. Dacres, trans. Machiavelli’s Prince, etc. 83. It is almost impossible that an army can lye incampt before a towne for the space of a whole yeere.
1727. Pope, etc. Art Sinking, 110. The almighty encamping his regiments.
1748. Anson, Voy., II. xiii. (ed. 4), 369. There were large parties of them incamped in the woods.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola (1880), I. II. xxvi. 325. The terrible soldiery were encamped in the Prato and other open quarters.
† b. refl. Obs.
1549. Cheke, Hurt Sedit. (1641), 15. Yee have … encamped your selfe in field.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., II. iii. 27. Two such opposed Kings encampe them still.
c. intr. for refl.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard. (1618), 111. The French men went to incampe in the wood of Incoronato.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., IV. iv. 82. What is the King encamp’d?
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes (1638), 171. The yong Emperor … incamped in the same place where he before lay.
1759. Robertson, Hist. Scot., I. VII. 500. The nobles encamped at St. Ninian’s.
1858. Knight, Pop. Hist. Eng., IV. 394. The Earl of Feversham … encamped on this morass [Sedgmoor].
2. transf. (intr. and pass.) To lodge in the open in tents or other portable or improvised habitations.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 261. We followed up the stream…, encamping every night.
1794. R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., II. 191. Mons. de la Condamine … was encamped months on the volcanos of Peru.
1815. Moore, Lalla R. (1824), 170. The place where they encamped … was the first delightful spot they had come to.
1855. Emerson, Misc., Tantalus, Wks. (Bohn), III. 321. We are encamped in nature, not domesticated.
