Definition of "damper"

Something that damps or checks:

1. A valve or movable plate in the flue or other part of a stove, furnace, etc., used to check or regulate the draught of air.  examples

2. A contrivance (sordine), as in a pianoforte, to deaden vibrations; or, as in other pieces of mechanism, to check some action at a particular time.  examples

3. Something that kills the mood.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • Nor did Sabrina′s presence seem to act as any damper at the modest little festivities.

     1887, William Black, Sabina Zembra

4. A device that decreases the oscillations of a system.  examples

5. (mechanical engineering) A shock absorber.  quotations  examples

   Quotations

   • In general, steel springs were stipulated for primary suspension, although rubber was accepted for auxiliary springing; hydraulic dampers were specified and the use of laminated springs ruled out.

     1960 December, “The first hundred 25 kV a.c. electric locomotives for B.R.”, in Trains Illustrated, page 726

   • However, complaints quickly surfaced about the ride quality of the SIG BT41 bogies, which was only cured by the fitting of additional dampers to the bogies and couplers.

     2022 September 21, Ben Jones, “IC225s: the Electras go gliding on”, in RAIL, number 966, page 40

(chiefly New Zealand, Australia) Bread made from a basic recipe of flour, water, milk, and salt, but without yeast.  quotations  examples

comparative form of damp: more damp  examples