Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - ramp

 I. verb  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French ~er to crawl, climb, rear, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German rimpfan to bend, wrinkle — more at rumple  Date: 14th century  intransitive verb  1.  a. to stand or advance menacingly with forelegs or with arms raised  b. to move or act furiously  2. to creep up — used especially of plants  3. to speed up, expand, or increase especially quickly or at a constant rate — used with up ~ing up to full speed  transitive verb ~ (IV) (electrical waveform) to increase, expand, or decrease especially quickly or at a constant rate — usually used with up or down ~ up production  II. noun  Date: 1671 the act or an instance of ~ing  III. noun  Etymology: back-formation from ~s, alteration of rams, from Middle English, from Old English hramsa; akin to Old High German ramusia ~, Greek krommyon onion  Date: 1826 any of various alliums used for food  IV. noun  Etymology: French ~e, from ~er, from Middle French  Date: 1779  1. a sloping way or plane: as  a. a sloping floor, walk, or roadway leading from one level to another  b. a slope for launching boats  2. apron 2h