vamp

/væmp/

/væmp/

Other forms: vamps; vamped; vamping

A vamp is an attractive, dangerously flirtatious woman. A vamp in an old movie might wear tight clothes and bright red lipstick.

The noun vamp is somewhat old fashioned, implying a woman who uses her charisma and beauty to charm men into doing what she wants them to do. You can also use it as a verb, meaning to tease or flirt, especially in a showy and manipulative way. The word came into use in the early 1900's, from vampire. Some experts connect the first use of vamp with the role of "The Vampire" in the 1915 movie "A Fool There Was."

Definitions of vamp

1. noun

   piece of leather forming the front part of the upper of a shoe
   type of:

   piece of leather

   a separate part consisting of leather
2. verb

   piece (something old) with a new part
   “vamp up an old speech”

   synonyms: vamp up

   type of:

   patch, piece

   to join or unite the pieces of
3. verb

   provide (a shoe) with a new vamp
   synonyms: revamp

   type of:

   bushel, doctor, fix, furbish up, mend, repair, restore, touch on

   restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken
4. noun

   a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men
   synonyms: coquette, flirt, minx, tease, vamper

   type of:

   adult female, woman

   an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
5. verb

   act seductively with (someone)
   type of:

   butterfly, chat up, coquet, coquette, dally, flirt, mash, philander, romance

   talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions
6. noun

   an improvised musical accompaniment
   type of:

   accompaniment, backup, musical accompaniment, support

   a musical part (vocal or instrumental) that supports or provides background for other musical parts
7. verb

   make up
   “vamp up an excuse for not attending the meeting”

   synonyms: vamp up

   type of:

   cook up, fabricate, fabulate, invent, make up, manufacture

   make up something artificial or untrue