damp down

damp down

1. To moisten something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "damp" and "down." I have to damp down my hair before combing it, or else it just sticks straight up.
2. To make a fire or flame less intense. A noun or pronoun can be used between "damp" and "down." The room's getting too hot now, so damp down the fire.
See also: damp, down
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

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.
See also: damp, down
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • damp
  • damping
  • ask down
  • bear down
  • chow down
  • chow something down
  • brush down
  • button down
  • bolt down
  • call down
References in periodicals archive
BLAZE BATTLE: Firefighters (above and right) damp down the fire in Birkenhead
Buildings wrecked in two-day blaze; High winds hit fire crews' rescue
Five fire crews were called to the scene and used hose reels to damp down the bails and to protect neighbouring buildings and equipment.
Firefighters still at barn
Firefighters were last night still trying to tackle and damp down the blaze, which caused smoke to billow along the coast.
Firefighters tackle gorse blaze threat to mountain greenery
Mr Powell also tried to damp down talk that the US would be prepared to "go it alone" to overthrow dictator Saddam Hussein.
WAR ON TERROR: No Iraq war..yet
Continue to ventilate, damp down and shade as necessary.
Gardening; jobs for the week
They stayed at the scene to damp down a number of acetylene cylinders.
Cars damaged in repair yard fire
I don't know if its architect had the backlash that Alsop faced, but it is worth pointing out that, while St Paul's was under construction, Christopher Wren had to disguise the building to damp down the conservative reaction to what was then an extremely radical new style.
Letter: Missed chance
The revolutionary material mimics backward-facing microscopic teeth of a shark's skin, which increase the flow of water and damp down drag.
The human shark
Fire crews from Coleshill and Nuneaton were at the scene from 1am until about 4am, returning to damp down after Railtrack workers demolished the remains of the signal box.
Signal box blaze halts trains
Three fire crews and an aerial platform were at the site again today to continue to damp down the remains of the massive factory and warehouse.
Tea factory is still smouldering
Rebels say the delay in debating the issue will do nothing to damp down opposition.
Benefit cut shambles
Pockets of tightlypacked tea leaves are still smouldering in the debris of the Gold Crown Foods plant on the Knowsley Industrial Estate, Kirkby Three fire crews and an aerial platform were at the site again today to continue to damp down the remains of the factory and warehouse.
FIREFIGHTERS STILL AT FACTORY