tamper

/ˈtæmpər/
noun
  1. A tool used for pressing down or compacting a material, such as soil or coffee grounds.
    • Use a tamper to press the coffee grounds evenly in the portafilter.
    • The construction worker used a tamper to flatten the gravel path.
    • She bought a stainless steel tamper for her espresso machine.
verb
  1. To interfere with something in a way that changes it or damages it, often secretly or illegally.
    • Someone tampered with the lock on the front door.
    • The evidence was tampered with before the police arrived.
    • Never tamper with the settings on a factory machine.
  2. To try to influence or change someone's opinion or decision, especially in a dishonest way.
    • Politicians sometimes tamper with public opinion through misleading ads.
    • The lawyer was accused of trying to tamper with the jury.
    • He tried to tamper with the witness's story.
Antonyms