to strike camp
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To lower the tents and move off; hence, to abandon one's position. A military phrase, adopted from the nautical phrase "to strike colours." See FLAG.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to strike camp” mean?
To lower the tents and move off; hence, to abandon one's position. A military phrase, adopted from the nautical phrase "to strike colours." See FLAG.
Is “to strike camp” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.