tamper

¹

[tam-per]

verb (used without object)

1. to meddle, especially for the purpose of altering, damaging, or misusing (usually followed bywith ).

   Someone has been tampering with the lock.

   Synonyms: interfere

2. to make changes in something, especially in order to falsify (usually followed bywith ).

   to tamper with official records.

3. to engage secretly or improperly in something.

4. to engage in underhand or corrupt dealings, especially in order to influence improperly (usually followed bywith ).

   Any lawyer who tries to tamper with a jury should be disbarred.

tamper

²

[tam-per]

noun

1. a person or thing that tamps.

tamper

¹

/ ˈtæmpə /

verb

1. (usually foll by with) to interfere or meddle

2. to use corrupt practices such as bribery or blackmail

3. (usually foll by with) to attempt to influence or corrupt, esp by bribery

   to tamper with the jury

tamper

²

/ ˈtæmpə /

noun

1. a person or thing that tamps, esp an instrument for packing down tobacco in a pipe

2. a casing around the core of a nuclear weapon to increase its efficiency by reflecting neutrons and delaying the expansion

Other Word Forms

• tamperer noun
• untampered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tamper¹

First recorded in 1560–70; probably variant of temper (verb)

Origin of tamper²

tamp + -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of tamper¹

C16: alteration of _temper (verb)

Example Sentences

A Colombian court on Tuesday overturned the witness tampering conviction of influential ex-president Alvaro Uribe, who had been sentenced to 12 years' house arrest in a decision condemned by the United States.

Read more on Barron's

The most plausible answer, of course, is that Luke’s account was finished before their deaths and no one in subsequent decades felt sufficiently bold to tamper with it.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The court clerk Alex’s legal team claimed had tampered with the jury denied that she had ever spoken about Murdaugh or the case with jurors.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“The Rada’a force is determined to enforce order and uproot gangs and militias, and will strike with an iron fist anyone who tampers with the security of the home front,” the group said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The new passports will also feature updated security features, the Home Office said, including the latest anti-forgery technology - making them "harder to forge or tamper with".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• meddle 
• monkey with www.thesaurus.com
• tinker