Damper

As a noun, it referred to a place that held savings, such as a bank or a safe-deposit box.

As a verb, it meant to stop or to quell.

IIRC you mix the flour and water, knead it a bit, and then cook it.

It forms a really tasteless gluggy bread which makes an okay base for honey or fruit based spreads.

In physics, a damper is a device that associates each force to a particular velocity.

The velocity of a damper is defined as the rate at which the damper is lengthening.

The force of a damper is defined as the force applied TO the damper by something else.

A common damper consists of an oil-filled tube, with a plunger that has to squish its way through the oil as you lengthen or shorten the damper. The more force you apply to stretch the damper, the faster the plunger moves through the oil. If you stop trying to stretch the damper (you stop applying a force to it), it immediately stops lengthening; its velocity drops immediately to zero.

The force is always the same at both ends of a damper (see: through variable) If the force is positive, the damper is in tension. A negative force means that the damper is in compression.

Likewise, the velocity is positive when the damper is lengthening, negative when it is shortening.

The constitutive equation for a damper is F=bV, where b is the dampening constant. The larger b is, the more resistant the damper is.

Damp"er (?), n.

That which damps or checks; as: (a) A valve or movable plate in the flue or other part of a stove, furnace, etc., used to check or regulate the draught of air. (b) A contrivance, as in a pianoforte, to deaden vibrations; or, as in other pieces of mechanism, to check some action at a particular time.

Nor did Sabrina's presence seem to act as any damper at the modest little festivities. W. Black.

© Webster 1913.