Descamper

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To pack up and depart from a camp or encampment ; to flee quickly and secretly, often to avoid trouble or detection
2. To strike a camp and move away from the place ; to make a hasty, covert escape from a situation or obligation
3. Taking down a temporary encampment and leaving the spot ; slipping off suddenly in order to avoid being caught or held to account

Etymology: "Descamper" is a Spanish verb, not a common English word, and its history is plain. It comes from the Spanish prefix "des-", meaning "undo" or "reverse", combined with "camper," a verb meaning "to camp" or "to encamp." The combination literally means to break camp, that is, to pack up a temporary encampment and move on. In Spanish, the verb is used especially of military and travelling groups who dismantle their tents and equipment before setting off. The image is practical rather than metaphorical: a camp is a set of tents and gear, and to descamp is to take it all down again.

Synonyms: decamp, scamper