to tamp down
1
5.3
- phrasal verb
- /tæmp daʊn/
:
compactar
- So I'm going to just go ahead and tamp the soil down really firm.
- gently tamp down
- tamped down earth
- tamp down the soil
So I'm going to just go ahead and tamp the soil down really firm.
- So I'm going to just go ahead and tamp the soil down really firm.
Examples
-
Fold the other half of the sheet over the leaves and gently tamp it down to set the leaves.
Blog text (9) -
We bury the mold and mantle in earth, stamping, tamping down every shovelful.
Fiction book (1998) -
She tamped down the remaining earth and threw a few spadefuls of snow on the spot.
Fiction book (1993) -
Just maybe take your fingers and press down gently, tamp down the soil around the edges to basically push it around the crown of the pineapple.
-
He started the ball with his thumb, took his wiping stick, and rammed the load home, tamped it down tight.
Fiction book (1994) -
You use the little filter in it, fill it with 2 teaspoons of coffee, tamp the coffee down, put the lid on the filter down, and then put the lid on the K-cup down over that.
Blog text (22) -
Olivia was putting petunias into red clay pots, tamping down the dirt while she trilled, "I-i-i-t's summertime!"
Fiction book (1995) -
As you can see, we put up wood to keep the limestone screenings in place while we tamped them down (although you may notice that one of the boards is out too far—oops, measuring error).
Blog text (22) -
To ensure the foundation is stable, tamp down the gravel before pouring concrete.
-
After planting the seedlings, be sure to tamp down the soil to eliminate air pockets.
Synonyms
278
2.3
To press things together so they take less space
94
3.7
To press something so it takes less space
18
2.5
To push something down with force to make it flat or close it
16
2.0
Make something move down by using force
14
7.0
To press or pack something down tightly
11
4.4
To press something so it becomes smaller and takes less space
8
2.2
Push something down using your hand or weight
2
3.0
To press things so they fit more tightly together
1
7.1
To force something down by hitting it hard
Antonyms
How Firmly
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense 'to reduce or suppress' is directly derivable from combining 'tamp' (to press or compact) with 'down' (to a lower position); the physical image of pressing something down straightforwardly maps to reducing intensity. This compositional, motion/pressure-based logic is common cross-linguistically and follows standard particle-verb patterns, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Tamp down comes from the action of tamping something down, like pressing soil or coffee with a tool or your foot to make it firm and flat. So, it means 'to press or pack something down firmly.'.