tamp

• POS: Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

tamp, v. t. [Cf. F. tamponner to plug or stop. See Tampion.].

•  In blasting, to plug up with clay, earth, dry sand, sod, or other material, as a hole bored in a rock, in order to prevent the force of the explosion from being misdirected.  [1913 Webster]
•  To drive in or down by frequent gentle strokes; as, to tamp earth so as to make a smooth place.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tamp, v.tr.
1 pack (a blast-hole) full of clay etc. to get the full force of an explosion.
2 ram down (road material etc.).

Derivative

tamper n. tamping n. (in sense 1).

Etymology

perh. back-form. f. F tampin (var. of TAMPION, taken as = tamping

THESAURUS

tamp

assault, bear, bear upon, boost, buck, bull, bulldoze, bump, bump against, bunt, butt, butt against, concentrate, cram, cram in, crowd, crowd in, dent, depress, dig, dimple, dint, drive, drive in, elbow, engrave, fill up, force, force in, goad, hurtle, hustle, impact, impress, imprint, indent, jab, jam, jam in, jam-pack, jog, joggle, jolt, jostle, knock in, notch, nudge, pack in, pang, pile drive, pit, plug up, plunge in, pock, pockmark, poke, poke in, pound in, press, press in, prod, punch, punch in, push, push in, ram, ram down, ram in, rattle, recess, run, run against, run in, set back, set in, shake, shoulder, shove, squeeze in, stamp, stress, stuff, stuff in, tamp in, thrust, thrust in, wedge in