tamp

[tamp]

verb (used with object)

1. to force in or down by repeated, rather light, strokes.

   He tamped the tobacco in his pipe.

2. (in blasting) to fill (a drilled hole) with earth or the like after the charge has been inserted.

tamp

¹

/ tæmp /

verb

1. to force or pack down firmly by repeated blows

2. to pack sand, earth, etc into (a drill hole) over an explosive

tamp

²

/ tæmp /

verb

1. (tr) to bounce (a ball)

2. to pour with rain

Word History and Origins

Origin of tamp¹

First recorded in 1810–20; perhaps alteration of tampion

Word History and Origins

Origin of tamp¹

C17: probably a back formation from tampin (obsolete variant of _tampion ), which was taken as being a present participle tamping

Origin of tamp²

probably special use of _tamp ¹

Example Sentences

“Bicarb,” as runners call it, has long been known to help tamp down the painful physiological effects of intense effort.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

When smartphones became ubiquitous, I assumed it would tamp down on public misbehavior, because cameras would be everywhere, and nobody would want to get caught and shamed.

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Mobile-order pickup queues are being better sectioned off, an effort to tamp down on crowding and confusion.

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Some see Weiss as likely to tamp down coverage of Gaza or to emphasize narratives that align with the Israeli government’s ideology.

Read more on Salon

When President Cleveland sent troops to break up a railroad strike and tamp down mob violence against Chinese immigrants, he invoked the Insurrection Act.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crowd 
• load 
• overcrowd 
• pack 
• ram 
• shove 
• squeeze 
• stuff 
• wedge