Meaning & use
vamoosed
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“vamoosed” is a form of “vamoose”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitiveinformal
Left a place quickly, often to avoid trouble or because you are in a hurry.
Grammar: No object; often used with 'from' or 'out of': He vamoosed from the party.
Patterns
- vamoose from somewhere
- vamoose out of somewhere
The kids vamoosed when they heard the police sirens.
He vamoosed from the meeting before anyone could ask him questions.
She vamoosed out of the room as soon as she saw her ex.
verbtransitiveinformal
Told someone to leave immediately and quickly.
Grammar: Takes an object: Vamoose the dog! Often used as a command.
Patterns
- vamoose someone
The bouncer vamoosed the troublemakers from the bar.
Vamoose the cat before it knocks over the vase!
Word forms
| third person singular | vamooses |
|---|---|
| past tense | vamoosed |
| past participle | vamoosed |
| -ing form | vamoosing |
Common combinations
- vamoose from
- They vamoosed from the scene before the cops arrived.
- vamoose out of
- He vamoosed out of the building in a hurry.
- tell someone to vamoose
- The manager told the loiterers to vamoose.
Synonyms and how they differ
- scram
- Also informal and means 'leave quickly', but is often used as a command: Scram!
- bolt
- Means to run away suddenly, often because of fear; it is more neutral than 'vamoose'.
- skedaddle
- Similar informal word for leaving quickly, but it is a bit old-fashioned.
Opposites
Practice
Which sentence uses 'vamoosed' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Vamoosed' means left quickly, so 'vamoosed from the party' fits. The other options use it as if it meant 'put' or 'went' in a neutral sense, which is not correct.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “vamoosed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.