Show EVOLUTION OF THE VAMP in the current slang as is well known the teim vamp a contraption of vampire is used to designate a seductive female in olden times and even in recent years in parts of eastern europe the vampire was a more sinister and fearsome entity in its original meaning the vampire was supposed to be the soul of a dead person which leaves the buried body at night to suck the blood of living persons usually causing their death hence it was believed that upon opening the grave of a vampire the body would be found still fresh and rosy from the blood thus absorbed dead persons most likely to become vampires were supposed to be those who had committed suicide or had come to their death by violent means also wizards witches and those who had been cursed by their parents or by the church A cat crossing a grave might transform the occupant into a vampire to stop the depredations of a supposed vampire it was thought necessary to drive a stake through the corpse sever the head remove the heart burn the body or pour boiling water and vinegar on the grave later the term vampire was applied to certain species of bloodsucking blood sucking bats of central and south america concerning which many popular superstitions have also arisen finally we have the alluring vampire or vamp of the movie screen and main street but there much superstition about her |