damper

Universal Words noun 1 a piece of metal that can be moved to allow more or less air into a fire so that the fire burns more or less strongly 2 a device in a piano that is used to reduce the level of the sound produced IDIOMS put a damper on sth (informal) to make sth less enjoyable, successful, etc: Rain put a bit of a damper on the event. * Recession in the early nineties put a damper on growth.