See Also: tamper(medicine)
tamper(1)(dictionary)
tamper(2)(dictionary)
tamper(dictionary)
tamper-evident(dictionary)
tamper-proof(dictionary)
tamper-resistant(dictionary)

tamper(2) (iou)



tamper verb. Also (earlier) temper. M16.
[Alt. of TEMPER verb1. Branch II prob. represents the original use.]
I.
verb intrans. Busy oneself for some end, esp. machinate, scheme, plot (foll. by in, for, with, to do, etc.). Now only, (foll. by with) deal improperly with, exert a secret or corrupt influence on, spec. bribe. M16.
Horace Walpole The queen dowager tampered in this plot. C. M. Yonge He was trafficking with her enemies and tampering with her friends.
verb intrans. Foll. by with: meddle or interfere with so as to cause alteration or harm; make unauthorized changes in. L16.
V. Woolf He was incapable of untruth; never tampered with a fact. M. Gordon He went over his collections..convinced that someone had been tampering with them. B. Chatwin The curator warned him not to tamper with the labels.
b. spec. Meddle with medically. M17-L18.
verb trans. Bias, influence, corrupt; meddle with, alter improperly. Now chiefly as tampered ppl adjective. rare. L17.
II.
verb intrans. & trans. Work in or in (clay etc.); temper (clay). rare. L16-M18.
Comb.: tamper-evident adjective (of packaging etc.) designed to make obvious any improper interference with the contents; tamper-proof adjective proof against being tampered with; not readily susceptible to misuse; tamper-resistant adjective resistant to being tampered with.
tamperer noun L16.