Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1800-1900
Origin: Perhaps from tampion, tampin 'plug, cover' (15-20 centuries), from French tampon; TAMPON

tamp

 verb
     
tamp [transitive always + adverb/preposition]
also tamp down to press or push something down by lightly hitting it several times:
The old man tamped down the tobacco with his thumb.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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