●put a ˈdamper on sth ( put a ˈdampener on sth) (informal) make an event, etc. less enjoyable or cheerful使扫兴；使沮丧◆The news of my father’s illness put a bit of a damper on the birthday celebrations. 我父亲生病的消息使生日庆祝会变得有些沉重。NOTE A damper is a device in a piano that is used to reduce the level of the sound produced. * damper （制音器）是钢琴上的一种减音装置。