Present participle of hump, meaning to carry something heavy on one's back, or to move with effort over obstacles. Also has sexual connotations.
From Middle Dutch homp (lump, hump), related to bump and hunch. The carrying sense comes from the image of a camel's hump as a burden, while other meanings developed from the physical motion involved.
Military slang 'humping the boonies' for carrying heavy packs through rough terrain captures the word's original meaning of laborious transport. The term maintains its connection to both physical burden and effortful movement across difficult ground.
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