Ramp
/ræmp/
nounverbB1
Definition
As a noun, a ramp is a flat surface that is slanted (not flat) to help people or vehicles move from one level to another, like from the ground to a door or between floors. As a verb, ramp means to increase or grow quickly, often used for things like prices, activity, or energy.
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See It in Action
Noun: A sloping surface connecting two different heights
- •The wheelchair user easily moved up the ramp to enter the building.
- •Trucks use the loading ramp to get goods into the truck.
- •The parking garage has a ramp between floors.
Verb: To increase or build up quickly
- •The company ramped up production to meet demand.
- •Security measures were ramped up after the alert.
- •The excitement in the crowd ramped up before the concert started.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "ramp" like "stairs" (A1 word), but instead of steps, it is one smooth, slanting surface you can walk or roll on
- ✓Picture a wheelchair moving up a smooth slope instead of climbing stairs
- ✓It's the feeling of going up a gentle hill or slide, not jumping or stepping
- ✓Sounds like "ramp" → imagine a small hill or slide that helps you move up easily
- ✓Think of a car driving up a ramp to get into a parking garage or a skateboarder going up a ramp in a park
- ✓As a verb, NOT like "slowly increase" (small steps), but "ramp up" means quickly or strongly increase, like turning volume up fast
- ✓NOT like "stairs" (many flat steps), ramp is one smooth surface without breaks
- ✓NOT like "jump" (sudden move), ramp is gradual and smooth
Try Other Words
- •Incline: a surface that goes up or down (Use when talking about natural or gentle slopes, less often for built structures)
- •Hill: a natural raised area of land (Use when referring to natural landforms, not man-made surfaces)
- •Escalate: to increase quickly (Use for actions or numbers increasing, more formal than "ramp up")
- •Boost: to increase or improve (Use in informal contexts for raising levels or amounts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: The word "ramp" is simple, no prefix or suffix
- •Etymology: From Old English "ramp" meaning a sloping surface or a projecting beam
- •Historical development: Originally meant a sloping beam or stair; later used for sloped paths or surfaces for easier movement
- •Modern usage: Commonly used for sloped surfaces in buildings, transport, and sports; also used as a verb meaning to increase quickly or strongly
- •Interesting fact: "Ramp up" as a verb phrase is often used in business and technology to describe quick increases
Reflect & Connect
•How does having a ramp instead of stairs change the way people can move around a building?
•In what situations might you want to "ramp up" something quickly, and why?
Fill in the blanks
1.The wheelchair user used the ramp to ___ easily into the building without help.
2.When demand increased, the factory had to ramp ___ production to keep up.
3.Unlike stairs, a ramp is one smooth ___ that connects two different heights.
4.The security team decided to ramp ___ their efforts after the warning.
5.The truck driver backed up to the loading ___ to unload the goods.
6.To make the building accessible, they installed a ___ next to the steps.
7.The excitement in the stadium ramped ___ as the players entered the field.