damper

[ dam-per ]

noun

1. a person or thing that damps or depresses:

   His glum mood put a damper on their party.

2. a movable plate for regulating the draft in a stove, furnace, etc.
3. Music.
   1. a device in stringed keyboard instruments to deaden the vibration of the strings.
   2. the mute of a brass instrument, as a horn.
4. Electricity. an attachment to keep the indicator of a measuring instrument from oscillating excessively, as a set of vanes in a fluid or a short-circuited winding in a magnetic field.
5. Machinery. a shock absorber.
6. Australian.
   1. a round, flat cake made of flour and water, and cooked over a campfire.
   2. the dough for such cakes.

damper

/ ˈdæmpə /

noun

1. a person, event, or circumstance that depresses or discourages
2. put a damper on
   put a damper on to produce a depressing or inhibiting effect on

   the bad news put a damper on the party

3. a movable plate to regulate the draught in a stove or furnace flue
4. a device to reduce electronic, mechanical, acoustic, or aerodynamic oscillations in a system
5. music the pad in a piano or harpsichord that deadens the vibration of each string as its key is released
6. any of various unleavened loaves and scones, typically cooked on an open fire

Word History and Origins

Origin of damper¹

First recorded in 1740–50; damp + -er ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see put a damper on .

Example Sentences

Many workers are being granted increasing flexibility to work from home, which will continue to put a damper on future revenue.

From Washington Post

Any periods of downward motion put a damper on cloud cover production, allowing one to discern the atmospheric waves radiating outward.

From Washington Post

With the pandemic putting a damper on public transit, the automotive industry continued to fare well while other verticals may have seen larger sales dips.

From Search Engine Land

It doesn’t have a whoosh of air or a physical damper rubbing on the wheel to make annoying sounds as the pedaling gets tougher.

From Popular-Science

Kitchell concluded, however, that if one wants to minimize damage in the unlikely event of a rare 975-year quake, earthquake dampers should be installed at a projected multimillion-dollar cost.

From Voice of San Diego

Changes in the level of subsidies and feed-in tariffs can put a damper on activity.

From The Daily Beast

Translation: the weather put a big damper on construction activity.

From The Daily Beast

If anything, the idea of Kristen Stewart, expert wet blanket, only got even damper.

From The Daily Beast

The rain here in Tampa, though not yet at tropical-storm levels, has put a damper on the now delayed convention.

From The Daily Beast

Leno said he felt the same as he try to put a damper on any such talk at a post-roast press conference.

From The Daily Beast

Just as the Admiral was going, Ward (of the Intelligence) crossed over with a nasty little damper.

From Project Gutenberg

It was such a damper as to be most mortifying to an enthusiastic girl, and she drew into herself in a moment.

From Project Gutenberg

His friend promised to look after mother and me, but somehow the philanthropist put a damper on the promise.

From Project Gutenberg

The passageway was growing damper; water trickled down the walls and gathered in fetid pools on the floor.

From Project Gutenberg

A damper seemed to have been placed on all their spirits, and the flow of conversation was sluggish and dull.

From Project Gutenberg