vamp

vamp
{{11}}vamp (n.) "seductive woman," 1911, short for VAMPIRE (Cf. vampire). First attested use is earlier than the release of the Fox film "A Fool There Was" (January 1915), with sultry Theda Bara in the role of The Vampire. But the movie was based on a play of that name that had been a Broadway hit (title and concept from a Kipling poem, "The Vampire"), and the word may ultimately trace to Bara's role. At any rate, Bara (real name Theodosia Goodman) remains the classic vamp.
A fool there was and he made his prayer
(Even as you and I!)
To a rag and a bone and a hank of hair
(We called her the woman who did not care)
But the fool, he called her his lady fair
(Even as you and I.)
[Kipling, "The Vampire"]
{{12}}vamp (v.) "extemporize on a piano," 1789, originally a noun meaning "part of a stocking that covers the foot and ankle" (early 13c.), from Anglo-Norm. *vaumpé, from O.Fr. avantpié, from avant "in front" + pié "foot." Sense evolved to "provide a stocking with a new vamp" (1590s), to "patch up, repair" (Cf. REVAMP (Cf. revamp)) to "extemporize." Related: Vamped; vamping.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:
(of a shoe), , , , , , , , ,


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  • vamp — vamp …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • vamp — [ vɑ̃p ] n. f. • 1921; mot angl. amér. (1918); abrév. de vampire ♦ Type de femme fatale et irrésistible (à l origine, type du cinéma). Des vamps. Un sourire de vamp. « Elle avait l air bonne fille aujourd hui et pas vamp du tout » (Queneau). ●… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Vamp — may refer to:* VaMP, the first autonomous car that drove long distances in traffic * Vamp (band), a Norwegian folk music band * Vamp (character), in the Metal Gear series of games. * Vamp (Gobots), in Gobots toyline and cartoon. * Vamp (comics),… …   Wikipedia

  • vamp — Bendroji  informacija Kirčiuota forma: vámp Rūšis: naujai skolintos šaknies žodis Kilmė: anglų, vamp. Pateikta: 2012 09 15. Atnaujinta: 2013 10 05. Reikšmė ir vartosena Apibrėžtis: vampyriško stiliaus (mada; moteris: gundanti, fatališka, panašios …   Lietuvių kalbos naujažodžių duomenynas

  • Vamp — Sm kühle, verführerische Frau erw. fremd. Erkennbar fremd (20. Jh.) Entlehnung. Entlehnt aus ne. vamp, dieses eine Kurzform von ne. vampire Vampir . Die Bezeichnung entsteht im amerikanischen Stummfilm zu Beginn des 20. Jhs.; Ausgangspunkt ist… …   Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen sprache

  • vamp — vamp1 [vamp] n. [ME vampe < OFr avampié < avant, before + pié, pied, foot < L pes (gen. pedis), FOOT] 1. the part of a boot or shoe covering the instep and, in some styles, the toes: see OXFORD 2. [< the v.] a) something patched up or …   English World dictionary

  • Vamp — Vamp, n. [OE. vampe, vaumpe, vauntpe, F. avantpied the forefoot, vamp; anat before, fore + pied foot, L. pes. See {Advance}, {Van} of an army, and {Foot}.] [1913 Webster] 1. The part of a boot or shoe above the sole and welt, and in front of the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • vamp — Ⅰ. vamp [1] ► NOUN 1) the upper front part of a boot or shoe. 2) (in jazz and popular music) a short, simple introductory passage, usually repeated several times until otherwise instructed. ► VERB 1) (vamp up) informal repair or improve. 2) …   English terms dictionary

  • vamp|y — «VAM pee», adjective, vamp|i|er, vamp|i|est. = vampish. (Cf. ↑vampish) …   Useful english dictionary

  • Vamp — Vamp, v. i. To advance; to travel. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Vamp — Vamp, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Vamped} (?; 215); p. pr. & vb. n. {Vamping}.] To provide, as a shoe, with new upper leather; hence, to piece, as any old thing, with a new part; to repair; to patch; often followed by up. [1913 Webster] I had never much …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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