DAMP

damp, dampish, moist

(adjective) slightly wet; “clothes damp with perspiration”; “a moist breeze”; “eyes moist with tears”

damp, dampness, moistness

(noun) a slight wetness

dampen, damp, soften, weaken, break

(verb) lessen in force or effect; “soften a shock”; “break a fall”

dampen, deaden, damp

(verb) make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible; “muffle the message”

damp

(verb) restrain or discourage; “the sudden bad news damped the joyous atmosphere”

muffle, mute, dull, damp, dampen, tone down

(verb) deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Noun

DAMP (countable and uncountable, plural DAMPs)

(immunology) Initialism of damage-associated molecular pattern.

Initialism of deficits in attention, motor coordination and perception.

Anagrams

• M.D. Pa., MPDA

Etymology

Adjective

damp (comparative damper, superlative dampest)

In a state between dry and wet; moderately wet; moist.

(figuratively) Despondent; dispirited, downcast.

Permitting the possession of alcoholic beverages, but not their sale.

Usage notes

Damp commonly is used for disagreeable conditions and moist often is used for agreeable conditions

damp clothes

moist cake

a damp compress (hot or cold)

a moist, sweaty brow

Synonyms

• (in a state between dry and wet): moist, thoan/thone (dialect); see also wet

• (despondent): glum, melancholy, sorrowful; see also sad

Noun

damp (countable and uncountable, plural damps)

Moisture; humidity; dampness.

(archaic) Fog; fogginess; vapor.

(archaic) Dejection or depression; something that spoils a positive emotion (such as enjoyment, satisfaction, expectation or courage) or a desired activity.

(archaic or historical, mining) A gaseous product, formed in coal mines, old wells, pits, etc.

Verb

damp (third-person singular simple present damps, present participle damping, simple past and past participle damped)

(transitive, archaic) To dampen; to make moderately wet

Synonym: moisten

(transitive, archaic) To put out, as fire; to weaken, restrain, or make dull.

(transitive) To suppress vibrations (mechanical) or oscillations (electrical) by converting energy to heat (or some other form of energy).

Anagrams

• M.D. Pa., MPDA

Source: Wiktionary


Damp, n. Etym: [Akin to LG., D., & Dan. damp vapor, steam, fog, G. dampf, Icel. dampi, Sw. damb dust, and to MNG. dimpfen to smoke, imp. dampf.]

1. Moisture; humidity; fog; fogginess; vapor. Night . . . with black air Accompanied, with damps and dreadful gloom. Milton.

2. Dejection; depression; cloud of the mind. Even now, while thus I stand blest in thy presence, A secret damp of grief comes o'er my soul. Addison. It must have thrown a damp over your autumn excursion. J. D. Forbes.

3. (Mining)

Definition: A gaseous prodact, formed in coal mines, old wells, pints, etc. Choke damp, a damp consisting principally of carboniCarbonic acid, under Carbonic.

– Damp sheet, a curtain in a mine gallery to direct air currents and prevent accumulation of gas.

– Fire damp, a damp consisting chiefly of light carbureted hydrogen; -- so called from its tendence to explode when mixed with atmospheric air and brought into contact with flame.

Damp, a. [Compar. Damper; superl. Dampest.]

1. Being in a state between dry and wet; moderately wet; moist; humid. O'erspread with a damp sweat and holy fear. Dryden.

2. Dejected; depressed; sunk. [R.] All these and more came flocking, but with looks Downcast and damp. Milton.

Damp, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Damped; p. pr. & vb. n. Damping.] Etym: [OE. dampen to choke, suffocate. See Damp, n.]

1. To render damp; to moisten; to make humid, or moderately wet; to dampen; as, to damp cloth.

2. To put out, as fire; to depress or deject; to deaden; to cloud; to check or restrain, as action or vigor; to make dull; to weaken; to discourage. "To damp your tender hopes." Akenside. Usury dulls and damps all industries, improvements, and new inventions, wherein money would be stirring if it were not for this slug. Bacon. How many a day has been damped and darkened by an angry word! Sir J. Lubbock. The failure of his enterprise damped the spirit of the soldiers. Macaulay.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

22 December 2024

SUNGLASSES

(noun) (plural) spectacles that are darkened or polarized to protect the eyes from the glare of the sun; “he was wearing a pair of mirrored shades”


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Coffee Trivia

Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.

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