vbl. sb. [f. KEMP v. + -ING1.] The action of the verb KEMP.
1793. Statist. Acc. Scotl., Dumfr., VII. 303. A boon of shearers … turned into large grey stones, on account of their kemping, i. e. striving.
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxviii. A soldier, my lord; and mony a sair day’s kemping I’ve seen.
1851. H. Stephens, Bk. Farm (ed. 2), II. 335/2. A desire frequently arises for striving, or what is commonly called kemping … to finish the reaping of their ridges before those who had entered theirs prior to them.
1893. Northumbld. Gloss., Kempin, a contest between reapers in the harvest field.
