vamp

plural vamps

1. dialectalThe part of hose or stockings which covers the foot and ankle; a sock or short stocking.First known use 13th c.

   Clings to everything she takes off. Vamp of her stockings. Warm shoe.

   1922 February 2, James Joyce, “[Episode 13: Nausicaa]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], page 355

2. The top part of a boot or shoe, above the sole and welt and in front of the ankle seam, that covers the instep and toes; the front part of an upper.First known use 17th c.

   Their dark brown shoes had hand-stitched vamps.

   1976, Chaim Grade, translated by Curt Leviant, The Yeshiva, Indianapolis, Ind.: Bobbs-Merrill Company, →ISBN, page 164

   2 more examples

   The flow of water was in my ears, and in my eyes a hazy spreading, and upon my brain a closure, as a cobbler sews a vamp up.

   1869, R[ichard] D[oddridge] Blackmore, chapter XX, in Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor. […], volume II, London: Sampson Low, Son, & Marston, […], →OCLC, pages 279–280

   ‘Yes, I am rather cracked in the vamp,’ he said freely, seeing that the eyes of the shepherd's wife fell upon his boots, ‘and I am not well fitted either.’

   1883 March, Thomas Hardy, “The Three Strangers”, in Wessex Tales: Strange, Lively, and Commonplace […], volume I, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 1888, →OCLC, page 24

3. Something added to give an old thing a new appearance.

   Synonyms: patch

4. Something patched up, pieced together, improvised, or refurbished.
5. entertainmentA repeated and often improvised accompaniment, usually consisting of one or two measures, often a single chord or simple chord progression, repeated as necessary, for example, to accommodate dialogue or to anticipate the entrance of a soloist.First known use c. 1789

   On the mega-rave circuit, a pop hardcore sound gradually emerged, fusing the piano vamps and shrieking divas of 1989-era Italo house with Belgian hardcore's monster-riffs and Shut Up and Dance style breakbeats and rumblin' bass.

   2012, Simon Reynolds, “’Ardcore, You Know the Score”, in Energy Flash: A Journey through Rave Music and Dance Culture, Berkeley, Calif.: Soft Skull Press, →ISBN, page 119

   1 more example

   He had little need to write distinctive vamps for his Williams [College] shows, but already in 1954—before the highly characteristic vamps in West Side Story—we see him growing in his ability to get under a character's skin through his accompaniment.

   2005, Steve Swayne, “Pulling It Apart”, in How Sondheim Found His Sound, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Press, →ISBN, page 116

6. broadlyAn activity or speech intended to fill or stall for time.

present singular third person vamps · participle present vamping · participle past vamped · past vamped

1. transitiveTo patch, repair, or refurbish.

   'Set me some great task, ye gods! and I will show my spirit.' 'Not so,' says the good Heaven; 'plod and plough, vamp your old coats and hats, weave a shoestring; great affairs and the best wine by and by.'

   1860, R[alph] W[aldo] Emerson, “Essay IX. Illusions.”, in The Conduct of Life, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, →OCLC, page 284

   Synonyms: revamp, vamp up

2. transitiveOften as vamp up: to fabricate or put together (something) from existing material, or by adding new material to something existing.

   He has vamp'd an old speech, and the court to their sorrow, / Shall hear him harangue against Prior to morrow.

   1711 [December?] (date written), Jonathan Swift, “An Excellent New Song. Being the Intended Speech of a Famous Orator against Peace [i.e., Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham].”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume VII, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 72

   2 more examples

   For instance, you take the uncompleted books of living authors, fresh from their hands, wet from the press, cut, hack, and carve them to the powers and capacities of your actors, and the capability of your theatres, finish unfinished works, hastily and crudely vamp up ideas not yet worked out by their original projector, but which have doubtless cost him many thoughtful days and sleepless nights; […]

   1838 March – 1839 October, Charles Dickens, “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Vincent Crummles, and Positively His Last Appearance on the Stage”, in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 478

   With real though rude art, the harlequin danced slowly backwards out of the door into the garden, which was full of moonlight and stillness. The vamped dress of silver paper and paste, which had been too glaring in the footlights, looked more and more magical and silvery as it danced away under a brilliant moon.

   1911 May 20, G[ilbert] K[eith] Chesterton, “The Flying Stars”, in The Innocence of Father Brown, London; New York, N.Y.: Cassell and Company, published 1911, →OCLC, page 112

3. transitiveTo cobble together, to extemporize, to improvise.

   A paſt, vamp'd, future, old, reviv'd, nevv piece, / 'Tvvixt Plautus, Fletcher, Congreve, and Corneille, / Can make a C——r, Jo——n, or O——ll.

   1728, [Alexander Pope], “Book the First”, in The Dunciad. An Heroic Poem. […], Dublin; London: […] A. Dodd, →OCLC, page 13, lines 228–230

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   Two pence he had gotten by begging, that 's all; / One bought him a bruſh, and one a black ball; / […] / Thus vamp'd and accoutred, with clouts, ball, and bruſh, / He gallantly ventur'd his fortune to puſh; […]

   a. 1746, Jonathan Swift, Samuel Johnson, “A Vindication of the Libel: Or, A New Ballad, Written by a Shoe-boy, on an Attorney who was Formerly a Shoe-boy”, in The Works of the English Poets. With Prefaces, Biographical and Critical, […], volumes XLIV (Containing Swift and Broome), London: Printed by T. Spilsbury and Son; for J[ames] Buckland, […], published 1790, →OCLC, page 76

   [S]ome men, nay, even some monks and brothers of this very house, are so envious of my state and foes to my peace of mind, that whenever they see me more happy and fuller of hope than common, they vamp me up some story or conjure some spectrum to disquiet me and sadden me!

   1844, [Charles MacFarlane], “Lord Hereward Goes to Get His Own”, in The Camp of Refuge. In Two Volumes, volume I, London: Charles Knight & Co., Ludgate Street, →OCLC, page 120

   1. ambitransitivespecificallytransitiveentertainmentTo perform a vamp (“a repeated, often improvised accompaniment, for example, under dialogue or while waiting for a soloist to be ready”).

      [W]hen she [Billie Holiday] finally emerged from her dressing room, she would take her time getting to the stage, stopping and greeting people and even having drinks at the bar while her accompanists vamped.

      1994, Donald Clarke, “The War Years”, in Wishing on the Moon: The Life and Times of Billie Holiday, New York, N.Y.: Viking, →ISBN; republished as Billie Holiday: Wishing on the Moon, Cambridge, Mass.: Da Capo Press, 2002, →ISBN, page 206

      2 more examples

      "It is so unkind to joke about it," said the beautiful young lady. "What shall I do? If somebody will vamp an accompaniment, I can get on very well without any music. But if I try to play for myself I shall break down."

      1880, [George] Bernard Shaw, chapter I, in The Irrational Knot … Being the Second Novel of His Nonage, London: Archibald Constable & Co., published 1905, →OCLC, page 14

      The band played ceaselessly. Even when the other instruments were resting the pianist kept up his monotonous vamping, with a dreary furbelow for embellishment here and there, to which some few of the dancers continued to shuffle round the floor.

      1954, Alexander Alderson, chapter 4, in The Subtle Minotaur, London: John Gifford […], →OCLC, →OL, page 52

4. transitiveshoemakingTo attach a vamp (to footwear).

   The shoe is now ready to be vamped after the eyelets are put in.

   1899, [Charles B. Hatfield], “Cloth Quarters and Welt Shoes”, in Designing, Cutting and Grading Boot and Shoe Patterns: And Complete Manual for the Stitching Room. […], Boston, Mass.: Press of Superintendent and Foreman, →OCLC, page 56

5. ambitransitivedialectalTo travel by foot; to walk.

   Well, vamp on to Marlott, will 'ee, and order that carriage, and maybe I'll drive round and inspect the club.

   1891, Thomas Hardy, chapter I, in Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented […], volume I, London: James R[ipley] Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., […], →OCLC, phase the first (The Maiden), page 12

6. intransitiveTo delay or stall for time, as for an audience.

   Keep vamping! Something’s wrong with the mic!

   1 more example

   She went out there to vamp since the speaker was late arriving.

7. UKobsoleteslangtransitiveTo pawn.

   'I'll find my own fencing cove or else vamp it to a pawnbroker.'

   2017, Jake Arnott, The Fatal Tree

plural vamps

1. A flirtatious, seductive woman, especially one who exploits men by using their sexual desire for her.First known use c. 1915

   […]strait-laced Sandy, played by Olivia Newton-John, transformed herself into a vamp to bag the man of her dreams

   2021 January 2, Katie Hind, “Grease is 'racist, rapey, homophobic and slut-shaming' and should never be shown on TV again, say woke snowflakes”, in The Daily Mail

   4 more examples

   It is the vamp who has a sense of humor that can really hold a man. She laughs at him, even as she is seeking to allure him—and he adores it.

   1919 June, Renee Van Dyke, “Interesting Paragraphs about the Players”, in Geo[rge] M. Downs, Jr., editor, The Photo-play World, volume 2, number 8, Philadelphia, Pa.: The Downs Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 59, column 3

   She was got up to the best of her ability as a siren, more popularly a "vamp"—a picker up and thrower away of men, an unscrupulous and fundamentally unmoved toyer with affections.

   1922, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, “The Connoisseur of Kisses”, in The Beautiful and Damned, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, book 1, page 95

   "Lady Miriam?" said Jarvis in surprise. "Oh, yes. … I suppose you mean that she looks a queer sort of vamp. But you've no notion what even the ladies of the best families are looking like nowadays.[…]"

   1927 September, G[ilbert] K[eith] Chesterton, “The Actor and the Alibi”, in The Secret of Father Brown, London; Toronto, Ont.: Cassell and Company, →OCLC, page 148

   Well, her seclusion is considered suspicious. She annoys them by being good-looking and even what is called good style. And all the young men are warned against her as a vamp.

   1936, G[ilbert] K[eith] Chesterton, “The Vampire of the Village”, in The Penguin Complete Father Brown, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, London: Penguin Books, published 1985, →OCLC, page 707

   Synonyms: femme fatale

2. informalA vampire.

   The leader of the vampire cult (played by Ramon D'Salva) leads his cult of fellow vamps in an attack against some nasty werewolves.

   1992, Robert Marrero, Dracula: The Vampire Legend on Film, 1st American edition, Key West, Fla.: Fantasma Books, →ISBN, page 20, column 2

present singular third person vamps · participle present vamping · participle past vamped · past vamped

1. intransitivetransitiveTo seduce or exploit someone.

   She vamps this month on the cover of British Vogue, a portrait of artfully crafted provocation.

   2021 May 4, Ruth La Ferla, “On That Bombshell Billie Eilish Cover for British Vogue”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   3 more examples

   We want a musical-comedy star to vamp a Senator or a member of the Cabinet; we want the protective tariff revised up or down because of an actress' whim; we want scarlet scandal in high life. And we are not likely to get them.

   1926 November, Gilbert Seldes, “Exit the Poor Actor!: Out at Elbow No Longer, Our Players To-day are among America’s Most Prosperous Citizens”, in Arthur Hornblow, editor, Theatre Magazine, volume XLIV, number 308, New York, N.Y.: Theatre Magazine Company, →OCLC, page 58, column 4

   "People who lose all their charity generally lose all their logic," remarked Father Brown. "It's rather ridiculous to complain that she keeps to herself; and then accuse her of vamping the whole male population."

   1936, G[ilbert] K[eith] Chesterton, “The Vampire of the Village”, in The Penguin Complete Father Brown, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, London: Penguin Books, published 1985, →OCLC, page 707

   She smiled again. Batted her lashes and laid down a few more mascara tracks. Vamping in order to maintain composure.

   1990 October, Jonathan Kellerman, chapter 27, in Time Bomb, New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books, →ISBN, page 321

2. slangtransitivefictionTo turn (someone) into a vampire.

   If I knew what I know now before I got vamped, I'd do the same thing.

   2004, David Sosnowski, Vamped: A Novel, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 277

   2 more examples

   Astonishing how few peasants and regular people got vamped back in the olden days, when it wasn't regulated.

   2012, Justine Larbalestier, Sarah Rees Brennan, Team Human, Harper Collins, →ISBN

   Nobody ever got the drop on Shades, not even when he was alive, and certainly not in the fifty years since he got vamped.

   2017, Keith R. A. DeCandido, Blackout, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN

3. intransitiveTo cosplay a vampire.

   I'm planning to vamp real hard at Friday night's party.

plural vamps

1. USslangA volunteer firefighter.

   The vamps had to carry their equipment to the fire on foot!

   2000, “History of the Atlanta Fire Department”, in History of Service: Atlanta Fire Department Commemorative Yearbook, Paducah, Ky.: Turner Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 25, column 1

   2 more examples

   John Mackin is one of the old-timers of the new Department. He was a volunteer fireman as well, […] John Mackin was among the number of "old vamps" who made application to the first Board of Fire Commissioners for appointment in the Paid Department.

   1892, “Companies of the Seventh District”, in Our Firemen: The Official History of the Brooklyn Fire Department, from the First Volunteer to the Latest Appointee. Compiled from the Records of the Department, Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.: [Brooklyn Fire Department], →OCLC, page 371

   Volunteer firemen are called vamps because they often went to fires on foot, vamp being an old English word for "walk." Syosset's first vamps responded quickly to fires and formed bucket brigades to extinguish them.

   2008, John Delin, “The Vamps, Syosset’s Bravest”, in Syosset People and Places (Images of America), Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Publishing, →ISBN, page 88