put a damper on

Idioms and Phrases

Discourage, dishearten, deter, as in Grandpa's death put a damper on our Christmas holidays . This idiom employs the noun damper in the sense of “something that damps or depresses the spirits,” a usage dating from the mid-1700s.

Related Words

• avert
• block
• dampen
• daunt
• discourage
• dissuade
• forestall
• frighten
• hinder
• impede
• intimidate
• obstruct
• preclude
• prevent
• prohibit
• restrain
• scare
• stop