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Akdom Posted 17 years ago
Vocabulary
I'm vamping.
I encountered the usage of "I am vamping" in this video clip: http://akdomecho.wordpress.com/2009/05/23/hello-world/
Background:
The White House lawyer (BABISH) was trying to figure out who leaked the story. He was interviewing the Chief of Staff (C.J.). He was asking questions here and there, which made it harder to know where was he getting at. At [00:22] of the clip, BABISH said I'm vamping.
Transcript:
BABISH
You heard it from Nancy McNally?
C.J.
I heard it straight from Kelwick at NASA and he wasn’t going to blab any more than he had to because the whole thing made his department look terrible. The space station’s losing oxygen, they’ve got a $4 billion space shuttle fleet and not one of them is ready to leave the ground because of a retrofit he ordered.
BABISH
Embarrassing.
C.J.
A little bit.
BABISH
You ever notice his eyebrows?
C.J.
Kelwick’s?
BABISH
Very… active.
C.J.
Are they?
BABISH
I’m vamping. I brought the wrong folder. Humor me, though: who else new before the story went public?
C.J.
NASA Director of Ops, NASA ISS Director…
BABISH
Yeah. Who at the White House?
I look it up in other posts in EnglishForward.com, and they used it in the sense of to seduce. Was it seduction? Was it flirting? I'm not certain that's what BABISH meant in here.
I get the feeling that when he said "I'm vamping," he meant "I'm just asking random things, since I brought the wrong folder."
Do you use "vamp" in your conversations? How do you go about using it?
defintion from Encarta.dictionary
vamp
(noun)
1. something patched up: something repaired so as to appear new
2. rehashing of something: a reworking of something already used or available, especially a book or article
3. upper part of shoe: the upper part of a shoe that covers the front part of the foot
4. improvised musical introduction: an improvised musical introduction or accompaniment that is repeated as necessary until the entry of the solo line
(verb)
1. put vamp on shoe: to put a vamp on a shoe
2. improvise musical introduction or accompaniment: to improvise a musical introduction or accompaniment for a solo line
(noun)
seductive woman: a woman who is believed to use her sexual attractiveness for the seduction and manipulation of others
(verb)
1. seduce somebody: to seduce and manipulate somebody by appearing to offer sexual intercourse
2. act like vamp: to act like or play the role of a vamp
Background:
The White House lawyer (BABISH) was trying to figure out who leaked the story. He was interviewing the Chief of Staff (C.J.). He was asking questions here and there, which made it harder to know where was he getting at. At [00:22] of the clip, BABISH said I'm vamping.
Transcript:
BABISH
You heard it from Nancy McNally?
C.J.
I heard it straight from Kelwick at NASA and he wasn’t going to blab any more than he had to because the whole thing made his department look terrible. The space station’s losing oxygen, they’ve got a $4 billion space shuttle fleet and not one of them is ready to leave the ground because of a retrofit he ordered.
BABISH
Embarrassing.
C.J.
A little bit.
BABISH
You ever notice his eyebrows?
C.J.
Kelwick’s?
BABISH
Very… active.
C.J.
Are they?
BABISH
I’m vamping. I brought the wrong folder. Humor me, though: who else new before the story went public?
C.J.
NASA Director of Ops, NASA ISS Director…
BABISH
Yeah. Who at the White House?
I look it up in other posts in EnglishForward.com, and they used it in the sense of to seduce. Was it seduction? Was it flirting? I'm not certain that's what BABISH meant in here.
I get the feeling that when he said "I'm vamping," he meant "I'm just asking random things, since I brought the wrong folder."
Do you use "vamp" in your conversations? How do you go about using it?
defintion from Encarta.dictionary
vamp
(noun)
1. something patched up: something repaired so as to appear new
2. rehashing of something: a reworking of something already used or available, especially a book or article
3. upper part of shoe: the upper part of a shoe that covers the front part of the foot
4. improvised musical introduction: an improvised musical introduction or accompaniment that is repeated as necessary until the entry of the solo line
(verb)
1. put vamp on shoe: to put a vamp on a shoe
2. improvise musical introduction or accompaniment: to improvise a musical introduction or accompaniment for a solo line
(noun)
seductive woman: a woman who is believed to use her sexual attractiveness for the seduction and manipulation of others
(verb)
1. seduce somebody: to seduce and manipulate somebody by appearing to offer sexual intercourse
2. act like vamp: to act like or play the role of a vamp
Top answer
The meaning of 'vamping' intended by the speaker was 'improvising' - as in the verb (2) that you posted. It can be used to mean 'making it up as you go along', which is what you do when you are playing the piano without sheet music, or you are giving a speech when you have left your notes at home! A related word used a lot in London, England, is the slang term 'blagging'.
- The meaning of 'vamping' intended by the speaker was 'improvising' - as in the verb (2) that you posted.
- It can be used to mean 'making it up as you go along', which is what you do when you are playing the piano without sheet music, or you are giving a speech when you have left your notes at home!
- A related word used a lot in London, England, is the slang term 'blagging'.
- com/ht2003wk7/Comment/the_art_of_blagging
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3 Answers
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The meaning of 'vamping' intended by the speaker was 'improvising' - as in the verb (2) that you posted. It can be used to mean 'making it up as you go along', which is what you do when you are playing the piano without sheet music, or you are giving a speech when you have left your notes at home!
A related word used a lot in London, England, is the slang term 'blagging'.
Here is a
A related word used a lot in London, England, is the slang term 'blagging'.
Here is a
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I agree; definitely the musical meaning. A common notation at the beginning of musical numbers written for the stage is "vamp until ready."
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Delmobile "vamp until ready."Amen. killing time until the act goes into "action" - typically, "We want Cantor" chord progression (1-6-2-5).
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