vamp

¹vamp

noun

Definition of VAMP

1

: the part of a shoe upper or boot upper covering especially the forepart of the foot and sometimes also extending forward over the toe or backward to the back seam of the upper

2

[¹vamp] : a short introductory musical passage often repeated several times (as in vaudeville) before a solo or between verses

Origin of VAMP

Middle English vampe part of a hose leg or shoe covering the forefoot, vamp, from Anglo-French, alteration of avanpié, from avant- fore- + pié foot, from Latin ped-, pes — more at vanguard, foot

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Clothing Terms

babushka, brogue, bumbershoot, cravat, dishabille, furbelow, layette, raiment, spectator

Rhymes with VAMP

amp, camp, champ, clamp, cramp, damp, guimpe, lamp, ramp, samp, scamp, stamp, tamp, tramp

²vamp

verb \ˈvamp\

Definition of VAMP

transitive verb

1

a : to provide (a shoe) with a new vamp

b : to piece (something old) with a new part : patch <vamp up old sermons>

2

: invent, fabricate <vamp up an excuse>

intransitive verb

1

: to play a musical vamp

2

: improvise, extemporize

— vamp·er noun

First Known Use of VAMP

1599

³vamp

noun

Definition of VAMP

: a woman who uses her charm or wiles to seduce and exploit men

— vamp·ish \ˈvam-pish\ adjective

Origin of VAMP

short for vampire

First Known Use: circa 1911

⁴vamp

verb

Definition of VAMP

transitive verb

: to practice seductive wiles on

intransitive verb

: to act like a vamp <vamping for the camera>

First Known Use of VAMP

circa 1915