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Phrase(s): damp something down
1. Lit. to make something damp. • Damp the clothes down before you iron them. • Please damp down the clothes first. 2. Fig. to reduce the intensity of a flame, usually by cutting down on the air supply, as with a damper. • Please damp the woodstove down. • Damp down the air supply or you are going to end up with a raging inferno.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs