-pə(r) noun
( -s )
1. : one that checks, lessens, or depresses : a dulling or deadening influence, agent, or device
news that put a damper on the stock market
served as an effective damper on further development
as
a. : a valve or movable plate in the flue or other part of a stove, furnace, or fireplace for regulating the draft or in a duct for regulating the flow of air or other gas
b. : one of a set of felted blocks resting on a piano string to keep it silent except when the key is pressed or when the entire set is lifted by a pedal
c. : a device designed to bring a mechanism or a part thereof to rest with minimum oscillation
d. Britain : shock absorber
2. : one that moistens (as a device for damping or wetting or a worker that dampens articles)
3. slang : cash register
4. Australia : a baking-powder bread formed into flat cakes and usually baked over a campfire