n. One who champs, or bites. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ F. champarteur a divider of fields or field rent. See Champerty. ] (Law) One guilty of champerty; one who purchases a suit, or the right of suing, and carries it on at his own expense, in order to obtain a share of the gain. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ F. champart field rent, L. campipars; champ (L. campus) field + part (L. pars) share. ]
Beauté ne sleighte, strengthe ne hardyness,
Ne may with Venus holde champartye. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]
☞ By many authorities champerty is defined as an agreement of this nature. From early times the offence of champerty has been forbidden and punishable. [ 1913 Webster ]
v. t. [ OE. hamperen, hampren, prob. of the same origin as E. hamble. ] To put a hamper or fetter on; to shackle; to insnare; to inveigle; to entangle; hence, to impede in motion or progress; to embarrass; to encumber. “Hampered nerves.” Blackmore. [ 1913 Webster ]
A lion hampered in a net. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]
They hamper and entangle our souls. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ See Hamper to shackle. ]
Top hamper (Naut.),
n. [ Contr. fr. hanaper. ] A large basket, usually with a cover, used for the packing and carrying of articles;
v. t.
n. [ F. main hand (see Main a hand at dice) + E. hamper. ] A hamper to be carried in the hand; a hand basket used in carrying grapes to the press. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. (Naut.) The upper rigging, spars, etc., of a ship.
All the ships of the fleet . . . were so encumbered with tophamper, so overweighted in proportion to their draught of water, that they could bear but little canvas, even with smooth seas and light and favorable winds. Motley. [ 1913 Webster ]