tamp

1 of 2

verb

tamped; tamping; tamps

transitive verb

1
: to drive in or down by a succession of light or medium blows
tamp wet concrete
2
: to put a check on : reduce, lessen
tamp down rumors

tamp

2 of 2

noun

plural tamps
: a tool for tamping : tamper entry 2
Fill the form half full with fresh, undisturbed snow, firmly packing it down using the cutout can bottom as a tamp; tamp around the inside edges as you go.James Boone

Examples of tamp in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
But Future, Playboi Carti and Travis Scott tamp out Metro’s fire, and a track that could’ve been great is merely good. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024 In a state where party bosses can tamp down most viable primary challenges, particularly for popular incumbents, he is locked in a spirited contest for the Democratic nomination with the mayor of Hoboken, Ravi Bhalla. Tracey Tully, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Kwame’s pre-wedding jitters are tamped down by big sister Barbara, leaving the happy couple to run into a sunset filled with pink kitchen gadgets and Rocky the dog. Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2024 At this time last year, federal banking officials tamped down growing anxiety over contagion in the banking sector and President Joe Biden called for tougher regulations after two banks that failed in one weekend in mid-March. Michelle Chapman, Quartz, 1 Mar. 2024 One of Biden’s key supporters, Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., is tamping down expectations for high Black voter turnout this year. Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2024 Card rates rose along with interest rates generally: Federal regulators launched a historic campaign of rate increases to tamp down inflation, which peaked at a 40-year high of over 9% in the summer of 2022. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2024 But TikTok is also using the stock compensation as a tool to tamp down dissent. Alexandra Sternlicht, Fortune, 8 Mar. 2024 Pro tip: Pair this with Amika’s new Smooth Over Frizz-Fighting Hair Treatment to tamp down flyaways. Mary Honkus, Glamour, 7 Mar. 2024
Noun
The outcome could help spur or further tamp down the flow of money into Chinese markets when global confidence in China is already shaken. Alexandra Stevenson, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2024 It’s not known exactly how much an anti-inflammatory diet tamps down inflammation nor how much of certain food items someone should eat to see the benefits, Sharma said. Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 18 Oct. 2023 But national unemployment, and perhaps local, will fluctuate and move upward in the coming months as the Fed tamp down on inflation takes effect. Roxana Popescu, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Sep. 2023 Countertop espresso perfector For those who already have an at-home espresso machine and grinder, a tamp station and knock box are an ideal complement. Juliet Izon, wsj.com, 26 Sep. 2023 The goal is to gather enough evidence to demonstrate that a cortico-striatal loop is indeed the culprit of stuck thinking, and that jamming its synchronizing activity tamps down its effects. IEEE Spectrum, 18 Apr. 2019 Then, fill the frame with concrete or gravel and tamp or screed it to the leveled edges. Rena Behar, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2023 A lot of machines come with a plastic tamp, but few come with a proper distributor and tamp. Jaina Grey Jeffrey Van Camp, WIRED, 22 Dec. 2022 This complex spit prevents clotting and tamps down the victim’s immune response. John Sass, Field & Stream, 11 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tamp.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably back-formation from obsolete tampion, tampin plug, from Middle English, from Middle French tapon, tampon, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German zapho tap — more at tap entry 3

First Known Use

Verb

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tamp was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near tamp

Cite this Entry

“Tamp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tamp. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tamp

verb
ˈtamp
1
: to drive in or down by a series of blows
2
: to put a check on : lessen
tamp down rumors
tamper noun

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