tamp

1 of 2

verb

ˈtamp 

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

Public skepticism has driven many colleges to tamp down tuition increases, said Jason Delisle, a nonresident senior fellow at the Center on Education Data and Policy at the Urban Institute. —Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024

Alternatively, the versatile salve works on wet or dry hair to tamp down flyaways in a pinch. —Jenny Berg, Allure, 23 Oct. 2024

Noun

This test introduced me to what would soon become my favorite feature from the Ascent X series—the tamp notification. —Megan Wahn, Bon Appétit, 18 Sep. 2024

In his first speech during an ambitious 12-day journey across Southeast Asia, where Christians are a small minority of the regional population, the pontiff said the Catholic Church would increase its efforts toward inter-religious dialogue in hopes of helping tamp down extremism. —Reuters, NBC News, 4 Sep. 2024

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

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