Library / English Dictionary

TAMPER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A tool for tamping (e.g., for tamping tobacco into a pipe bowl or a charge into a drill hole etc.)

Synonyms:

tamp; tamper; tamping bar

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("tamper" is a kind of...):

tool (an implement used in the practice of a vocation)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tamper"):

stemmer (a miner's tamping bar for ramming packing in over a blasting charge)

Derivation:

tamp (press down tightly)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Play around with or alter or falsify, usually secretively or dishonestly

Example:

The reporter fiddle with the facts

Synonyms:

fiddle; monkey; tamper

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "tamper" is one way to...):

manipulate (hold something in one's hands and move it)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Intrude in other people's affairs or business; interfere unwantedly

Example:

Don't meddle in my affairs!

Synonyms:

meddle; tamper

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "tamper" is one way to...):

interfere; interpose; intervene; step in (get involved, so as to alter or hinder an action, or through force or threat of force)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

tampering (the act of altering something secretly or improperly)

Credits