tamp

/tæmp/
verb
  1. To press down or pack tightly by tapping or pushing repeatedly.
    • The gardener tamped the soil around the new plant to remove air pockets.
    • He tamped the tobacco into his pipe before lighting it.
    • She used a small tool to tamp the coffee grounds in the espresso machine.
  2. To reduce or suppress something, such as a feeling or activity.
    • The manager tried to tamp the rumors about layoffs before they spread.
    • New safety rules were introduced to tamp the number of accidents.
    • She took a deep breath to tamp her rising anger.
noun
  1. A tool used for pressing or packing material down, such as in coffee making or construction.
    • He bought a new tamp for packing the gravel in the driveway.
    • The barista used a metal tamp to level the coffee in the portafilter.
    • The kit includes a small tamp for pressing herbs into the bowl.