Definition of "damper" []

• One that deadens, restrains, or depresses: Rain put a damper on our picnic plans. (noun)
• An adjustable plate, as in the flue of a furnace or stove, for controlling the draft. (noun)
• Music A device in various keyboard instruments for deadening the vibrations of the strings. (noun)
• Music A mute for various brass instruments. (noun)
• A device that eliminates or progressively diminishes vibrations or oscillations, as of a magnetic needle. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Either way, their predicament could put a long-term damper on the consumer spending that typically drives U.S. growth."
• "This excursion taught us how expectations that are not realized can put a certain damper on the tone of a trip."
• "A balancing damper is a type of valve for the air that can be partially closed or opened."