tramp steamer
n. Nautical
A commercial vessel that has no regular schedule but takes on and discharges cargo whenever hired to do so.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
tramp
(træmp)v.i.
1. to tread or walk with a firm, heavy step.
2. to tread heavily or trample (usu. fol. by on or upon).
3. to walk steadily; march; trudge.
4. to go on a walking excursion; hike.
5. to go about as a vagabond or tramp.
6. to make a voyage on a tramp steamer.
v.t. 7. to walk heavily or steadily through or over.
8. to traverse on foot: to tramp the streets.
9. to tread or trample underfoot: to tramp grapes.
10. to travel over as a tramp.
n. 11. the act of tramping.
12. a firm, heavy, resounding tread.
13. the sound made by such a tread.
14. a long, steady walk; trudge; hike.
15. a person who travels about on foot, esp. a vagabond living on occasional jobs or gifts of money or food.
16. a sexually promiscuous woman.
17. a freight vessel that does not run regularly between fixed ports, but takes a cargo wherever shippers desire.
18. a piece of iron affixed to the sole of a shoe.
[1350–1400; Middle English: to stamp, probably < Middle Low German trampen to tramp, tread; akin to Gothic anatrimpan to crowd]
tramp′ish, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
tramp steamer - a commercial steamer for hire; one having no regular schedule