Geol. [Of unknown etymology; originally dial. (north of England).] ‘An indurated wavy calcareous shale’ (Phillips) found among limestone rocks. Also attrib., famp-bed.
1836. Phillips, Geol. Yorksh., II. 28. On which is a ‘famp’ bed. Ibid. Black beds intermixed with ‘famp’ and nodules of chert.
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, II. 325. Famp is a siliceous bed, composed of very fine particles.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., Famp, Newc. Soft, tough, thin shale beds.
