tamp
Americanverb (used with object)
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to force in or down by repeated, rather light, strokes.
He tamped the tobacco in his pipe.
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(in blasting) to fill (a drilled hole) with earth or the like after the charge has been inserted.
verb
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to force or pack down firmly by repeated blows
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to pack sand, earth, etc into (a drill hole) over an explosive
verb
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(tr) to bounce (a ball)
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to pour with rain
Etymology
Origin of tamp
First recorded in 1810–20; perhaps alteration of tampion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the Guthrie case, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos felt compelled to issue a statement on a weekend clearing her family as suspects to tamp down the rampant speculation.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026
On stage at the summit, one startup founder after another sought to tamp down the hype around humanoid robots.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025
Schulenburg sees other ways drivers are shouldering more responsibility to tamp down on insurance costs.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 23, 2025
Kirk on Thursday sought to tamp down the divisions on the right, which she said had appeared after Charlie's death.
From Barron's • Dec. 20, 2025
Akira tried to tamp down the panic rising inside her.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
