oomph n.
1. (orig. US) enthusiasm, vitality, energy, esp. as sex appeal.
Pic (N.Y.) Mar. 8: come on, boys, send me gate. — play with umph. Prima wants an extra something from his swingsters. | ||
On Broadway 4 Oct. [synd. col.] Carole Landis drops in to give the battle some oomph. | ||
Dundee Courier 13 June 2/4: [headline] Scotland’s Lost Oomph. | ||
Mating Season 11: Corky has been wowing the customers with her oomph and espièglerie. | ||
Jeeves in the Offing 21: I had several times when under the influence of her oomph taken up with Roberta Wickham. | ||
Stand (1990) 96: He’d never seen the kid with so little oomph in him. | ||
Heroin Annie [e-book] Sam tried to regain some of her oomph, but it was a losing battle, she was stoned and scared. | ‘Heroin Annie’ in||
Guardian Media 14 June 8: Posters, television, press, radio – have [...] lost their oomph. | ||
My Lives 87: I need a real man [...] Someone who’s got some oomph. | ||
Didn’t Nobody Give a Shit 19: Maybe she thought some extra visual oomph would get Carlotta buried under the jail. |
2. a sexy, vivacious young woman.
You Chirped a Chinful!! n.p.: Oomph: A girl who has loads of charm. |
In derivatives
(US) lively, energetic or sexy.
Popular Science Aug. 89: Olds will have that spectacular new transmission, a more sophisticated version of the automatic that for years has been the oomphiest in existence. | ||
N.Y. Post 13 Mar. 6: Past [...] spots had her looking oomphy in skimpy garb. | ||
Homeboy 57: Should he scope a particularly oomphy muchacha rumbaing down Dolores Street. |
In compounds
a sexy, vivacious girl.
Pic (N.Y.) 30 May cover: When twenty-five men unanimously bestowed the title of ‘Oomph Girl’ on Ann Sheridan last month, there were no protests [...] There’s no question—Ann is tops when it comes to ‘oomph,’ the modern title for sex appeal, the successor to ‘Vamp’ and ‘It’. | ||
Criminal Sl. (rev. edn) 168: oomph girl A passionate young woman. |