Meanings
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1
verb
to interfere with or alter something without permission, often dishonestly or in a way that causes damage
The broken seal suggested that someone had tried to tamper with the evidence.
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2
verb
to try improperly or secretly to influence a witness, juror, or other person involved in an official process
Prosecutors warned him not to tamper with any witness before the trial.
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3
noun
a tool used to press loose material firmly down, such as coffee grounds in an espresso basket
The barista pressed the coffee grounds evenly with a steel tamper.
Thesaurus
Etymology
The verb is a sixteenth-century alteration of temper, originally used for mixing, meddling, or scheming; its modern sense narrowed toward unauthorized or corrupt interference. The noun meaning a tamping tool is formed independently from tamp + -er.