vamp up
Related to vamp up: ramp up
vamp up
1. To repair or refurbish something to make it look new or modern. A noun or pronoun can be used between "vamp" and "up." I've really been wanting to vamp the storefront up a little bit, because it really sticks out next to these sleek new shops around in the area. He vamped up his car with some repairs to the body and a bright new coat of paint.
2. To improvise something; to create or fabricate something from nothing or very little. A noun or pronoun can be used between "vamp" and "up." I had totally forgotten about the interview, so I vamped up a few questions an hour or so beforehand based on the Wikipedia article about him. We could all tell he was vamping the music up on the spot.
See also: up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
vamp up
v.
1. To refurbish, improve, or embellish something: The designers vamped up the website using contemporary colors. I bought an old bookshelf and vamped it up with a new coat of paint.
2. To put something together; fabricate or improvise something: With no hard news available about the summit meeting, the reporters vamped up questions based only on rumor. When my turn came to tell a story, I vamped one up from tales I had heard as a child.
See also: up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- involve with
- involve with (someone or something)
- involved with
- ask back
- arrange for
- arrange for some time
- arrange some music for
- back into
- back into (someone or something)
- add in