tamp down
"Tamp down" is used both literally and figuratively to describe the act of pressing something down firmly or reducing its intensity.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
B2Construction
(technical)To press or pack a substance, like soil, until it is compact and flat.
Example
- The workers tamped down the gravel to create a stable base for the pavement.
C1Psychology
(idiomatic)To suppress or reduce the intensity of an emotion or thought.
Example
- She tried to tamp down her anxiety before the presentation.
B2General
(figurative)To lower or lessen something, such as tensions or noise.
Example
- The government took steps to tamp down the rising tensions between the communities.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "tamp down":
dampen downdamp downstomp outpress downfasten downkeep downstamp outstomp onpin downpunch downput downweigh downbatten downtone downshove downgrind downstub outhold downtie downquieten downbeat downhush down