vamp

7 definitions • 18 examples

a woman who is confident that she is sexually attractive and makes use of this fact in order to get what she wants:

The posters featured the silent film vamp, Theda Bara.

Where are those glorious vamps of the silver screen?

In the show she plays the part of a PR vamp in New York City.

She is a vamp who aims to seduce each new male member of the club.

a short piece of music that is repeated several times, often before another musician starts to play or sing:

The overall structure is a series of choruses, sometimes preceded by an improvised vamp instead of a conventional prelude.

The flute melody over the low sound of the orchestra's two-note vamp creates an ominous mood.

Her vocal comes in over a joyful, rolling piano vamp.

the front part of the top of a shoe:

A short vamp in a slip-on shoe may make you curl your toes to keep the shoe on.

A shoe with a high vamp will give the foot more support and stability.

The material of a low vamp shoe just covers your toes, as seen in women’s court shoes and ballet flats.

short for

They aren't vamps but adopt the Gothic, vampire archetype for their art, fashion, and music.

These self-professed modern-day vampires chat over the internet about such worries as how to raise little vamps.

to move, act, or dance in a confident way in public, showing that you know that you are sexually attractive:

She posed and vamped for the cameras like the true professional she is.

He vamped from one side of the stage to the other, flashing his famous million-dollar smile.

to repeat a short piece of music several times, often before another musician starts to play or sing:

The orchestra vamped till the diva was ready to take the stage.

At this stage of his career, he liked to do more talking while the band vamped behind him.

to talk in public without preparation in order to pass the time because you are waiting for something else to happen:

They had to vamp for a few minutes to keep the audience amused.

He just kept vamping until the director showed up to give him some clear instructions.