vamp Hear it!

vamp¹ Definition

vamp (vamp)

noun

  1. the part of a boot or shoe covering the instep and, in some styles, the toes

  2. Etymology: < the v.

    1. something patched up or fixed up to seem new; patchwork
    2. something patched on
    3. Music a simple, improvised introduction or interlude, esp. a series of chords, as before a jazz solo or between songs played by a dance band

Etymology: ME vampe < OFr avampié < avant, before + pié, pied, foot < L pes (gen. pedis), foot

transitive verb

  1. to put a vamp on; provide or mend with a new vamp
  2. to patch (up); repair
  3. to invent; fabricate
  4. Music to improvise

intransitive verb

Music to play a vamp

vamp² Definition

vamp (vamp)

noun

vampire (sense )

transitive verb

to seduce or beguile (a man) by using feminine charms

intransitive verb

to act the part of a vamp

vamp² Related Forms
vamp′·ish adjective
vamp Synonyms

vamp

v.

  1. To repair

    fix, mend, patch; see repair.

  2. To seduce

    make love to, beguile, attract; see court 1, seduce.

vamp Usage Examples

Object

  • horn: The Ashurst vamping horn is one of only six to have survived in England.
  • chord: His fingers were already easing quick, clean, vamped chords from his guitar.
  • style: Jo's own sound is unique, combining her vamping electric guitar style with sophisticated ethereal harmony makes her performance enchanting.

Converse of object

  • stake: Tara: We have to stake the mantra vamp.
  • become: Eden is a nudist camp; Primal Eve becomes a vamp.
  • see: He could see the little vamp heading up the stairs: time to give chase.
  • use: If she wants me off the planet I'll see if NASA's ever thought about using vamps for long term exploration missions.
  • have: Shoes made to fit swollen or big feet should have a long vamp, which provides good arch support for big feet.

Adjective modifier

  • other: Then again I'd never seen any other vamps dumb enough to be slogging up bleeding huge mountains.
  • old: Must be the home of the oldest vamps too.
  • weak: A weak vamp, an old dangerous vamp, a dangerous mommy and... a Goth writer.
  • dangerous: A weak vamp, an old dangerous vamp, a dangerous mommy and... a Goth writer.
  • long: Shoes made to fit swollen or big feet should have a long vamp, which provides good arch support for big feet.
  • U-shaped: U-shaped vamp is made from another piece of same.

Modifies a noun

  • face: Judge Axel's vamp face inspired Harker's in Howling VI.
  • speed: I'd already used up all the vamp speed in me and was running on fumes as it was.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • up: Why not ask whether one of the gym instructors can work with you to vamp up your current program?

Followed by a transitive particle

  • up: This applies whether you are creating a website from scratch or vamping up an exsiting one.

Noun used with modifier

  • re: There is also going to be a complete re vamp of the site soon.