gorp

See also: GORP

English

Alternative forms

• GORP

Etymology

The Oxford English Dictionary cites a 1913 reference to the verb gorp (“to eat greedily”). The occasionally theorised "good old raisins and peanuts" or "granola, oats, raisins, peanuts" are probably backronyms.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɔɹp/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɔːp/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)p

Noun

gorp (uncountable)

1. A loose mixture of dried fruit, nuts, frequently salt, and sometimes other ingredients; designed as an energy supplement for use while hiking, climbing, canoeing, etc.
   • 1974, Sue Ellin Browder, The American Biking Atlas & Touring Guide, Workman Pub. Co., →ISBN, page XXIII:

     Before you take off, pack food for picnics and snacks. Experienced biking adventurers usually fill a plastic bag with a quick-energy concoction called "gorp" (good-old-raisins-and-peanuts). Create your own gorp according to taste.

   • 1981, John Rakowski, Adventure Cycling in Europe […] , Rodale Press, →ISBN, page 280:

     Nuts are cheap. Per pound: peanuts, $1.50, pistachios, $1.80, hazelnuts, 75¢. Mix them with dried fruit and you have a scrumptious gorp.

   • 1985, Anne Tyler, chapter 19, in The Accidental Tourist, Knopf, →ISBN, page 307:

     “They were living in their pajamas so as not to have too much laundry. They were eating gorp for their suppers.”
     “I'm not even going to ask what gorp is,” Sarah said,
     “It's a mixture of wheat germ and nuts and dried—”

   • 1996 September 24, Brian M. Parks, “gorp”, in rec.backcountry‎^[1] (Usenet):

     i also take some cheese and hard salami and crackers which are normally not contained in gorp to give even more variety. variety is the key here, and a bag of gorp curtails this.....unless of course you wish to pack ten different varieties of gorp with you :^)

   • 2009, Ann Brashares, 3 Willows, Delacorte Press, →ISBN, page 236:

     “Do you want some gorp? I have an extra bag.” Gorp was like gold by that point. Nobody had any left. She thought of the M&M's. Her mouth began to water, but she stayed strong.

Synonyms

• scroggin
• trail mix

Derived terms

• gorpcore

Further reading

• “gorp”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “gorp”, in Collins English Dictionary.

Anagrams

• PROG, Prog, prog, prog.