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Glite Dictionary
tampion

tampion

1 9.9
A plug for the end of a gun or cannon that keeps out dust and water
  • noun
  • /ˈtæmpɪən/
  • Archaic
: tapón
  • Removing the tampion from the muzzle, the gun crew prepared the cannon for firing.

Examples

  • During long sea voyages, sailors would use a tampion to protect the barrel from saltwater damage.

  • The soldier inserted a tampion into the cannon.

  • The artillery officer checked that each cannon had a tampion securely in place before transport.

  • During the parade, the cannons were covered with tampions.

  • The historical cannon was protected by a tampion to prevent dust and moisture from entering the barrel.

  • Before transporting the antique musket, they carefully inserted a tampion to safeguard it from the elements.

  • The soldiers checked their guns to ensure each had a proper tampion in place during the long march.

Synonyms

tompion
vstampion
  • Archaic
9.9

A plug that fits the front of a gun to keep out dust and water

is the same in meaning but differs only in spelling

Surface Forms

tampion singular
tampions plural

Morphology

tampion = tamp (semi-transparent) = tamp + ion

Formed from 'tamp' + '-ion' so the relation to 'tamp' is visible, but the specialized artillery sense (a muzzle plug) is not fully predictable for an average learner.

Etymology

Tampion comes from the French tampon, meaning 'plug' or 'stopper', and is like the English verb tamp ('pack down'). So a tampion is the plug pushed into the muzzle of a gun or cannon to keep out dust and water.