1. Ramping; leaping; springing; rearing
upon the
hind legs; hence, raging; furious. "The fierce
lion in
his kind Which goeth
rampant after
his prey." (Gower) "[The]
lion . . . Rampant
shakes his brinded mane." (Milton)
2. Ascending; climbing;
rank in growth; exuberant. "The
rampant stalk is of unusual altitude." (I. Taylor)
3. Rising with
fore paws in the
air as if attacking; said of a beast of prey, especially a lion. The
right fore leg and
right hind leg must be raised higher than the left. Rampant arch. An
arch which has one
abutment higher than the another. Same as Rampant vault, adown. Rampant gardant, a
continuous wagon vault, or
cradle vault, whose
two abutments are situated on an
inclined planed plane, such as the
vault supporting a stairway, or forming the ceiling of a stairway.
Origin: F, p. Pr. Of ramper to creep. See Ramp.
Source: Websters Vocabulary