English Explanatory Dictionary

dam

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A structure placed across a flowing body of water to stop the flow or part of the flow, generally for purposes such as retaining or diverting some of the water or retarding the release of accumulated water to avoid abrupt flooding.
  2. The water reservoir resulting from placing such a structure.
  3. A device to prevent a tooth from getting wet during dental work, consisting of a rubber sheet held with a band.
  4. A reservoir.
  5. A firebrick wall, or a stone, which forms the front of the hearth of a blast furnace.
verb
  1. To block the flow of water.
noun
  1. Female parent, mother, generally regarding breeding of animals.
  2. A kind of crowned piece in the game of draughts.
noun
  1. An obsolete Indian copper coin, equal to a fortieth of a rupee.
  2. A former coin of Nepal, 128 of which were worth one mohar.
intj
  1. Damn.
adj
  1. Damn.
noun
  1. Initialism of digital asset management.

Pronunciation

/ˈdæm/ [ˈdæm] /ˈdeə̯m/ [ˈdeə̯m] ~ /ˈdɛə̯m/ [ˈdɛə̯m] en-us-dam.ogg /ˈdeːm/ [ˈdeːm] EN-AU ck1 dam.ogg

Word forms

dam dams damming dammed dam'

Etymology

From Middle English dam, from Old English *damm, from Proto-West Germanic *damm, from Proto-Germanic *dammaz.

Synonyms

dental dam oral dam

Derived words

antidam bear-trap dam beaver dam Broken Dam coffer-dam coffer dam cofferdam dambreak dam break damburst dambuster dambusting dam failure damlike dammable dam plate damside damsire dental dam earthquake dam gravity dam hydroelectric dam ice dam ice dam membrane mill dam sand dam shutter dam splash dam water over the dam Yellow Dam dam up redam undam
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