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damp Definition

damp (damp)

noun

  1. a slight wetness; moisture
  2. a harmful gas sometimes found in mines; firedamp; blackdamp
  3. Archaic a dejected or depressed state

Etymology: MDu, vapor, steam, akin to OHG, MHG, Ger dampf < IE base *dhem-, to smoke, mist > dank

adjective

  1. somewhat moist or wet; humid
  2. dejected; depressed

transitive verb

  1. to make damp; moisten
  2. to slow the combustion of (a fire) by cutting off most of the air supply; bank: usually with down
  3. to check or reduce (energy or action)
  4. to check or deaden the vibration of (a piano string, drum membrane, etc.)
  5. to reduce the amplitude of (oscillations, waves, etc.)

Related Forms:

damp Idioms

damp off

to wither and die because of mildew, as seedlings, plant shoots, etc.
damp Synonyms

damp

modif.

  1. Somewhat wet

    moist, sodden, soggy, clammy; see wet 1.

  2. Rainy

    drizzly, wet, cloudy, humid; see wet 2. See syn. study at wet.

damp Usage Examples

Object

  • sinusoid: The damped sinusoid causes the filterbank output to decay more slowly.
  • oscillation: The stations show trend behavior that is close to the behavior of a theoretical model of damped harmonic oscillation.
  • vibration: Gel EVA heel damps vibration and gives you extra cush for big landings.
  • oscillator: At M 4, the system is a damped oscillator, at M 4, the oscillations continue into infinity.
  • coefficient: However, this technique requires knowledge of 8 parameters, including the instrument damping coefficient.
  • ratio: The larger the damping ratio of a structure, the quicker the decay of its free vibration.

Converse of object

  • rise: How many months go by without the film versions of Up Pompeii or Bless This House or Rising Damp being aired?

Preposition: as

  • preload: Like all top racing forks, the Öhlins allows precision adjustment of compression and rebound damping as well as spring preload.

Modifying Another Word

  • slightly: The seat of my pants, slightly damp from the water fetching episode, had frozen to its surface.

Modifies a noun

  • squib: However the final half hour of the match passed by without any great incident, a damp squib ahead of Bonfire Night.
  • cloth: A fire blanket or damp cloth should be used on a fat pan fire.
  • grassland: There are also damp grasslands adjacent to the River Bush in the north.
  • towel: Unroll the remaining filo pastry sheets, keeping them under a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
  • sponge: Use a coarse damp sponge to gently ease the cleaning fluid across the whole area.
  • membrane: The easy to apply 2 coat damp proof membrane, ARDEX DPM, was applied to the prepared concrete base.

Used with adjective complement

  • rise: We rent out a cottage which is over a hundred years old which has a mild case of rising damp in the rear walls.

Followed by a transitive particle

  • down: Flooring felt is laid edge to edge to damp down step noise.

Particle object:

  • inflammation: Isotretinoin has a triple action -- reducing sebum produced, inhibiting P. acnes growth and damping down inflammation.

Present participle complement

  • proof: What is electro osmotic damp proofing: In the 18th century it was discovered that an applied voltage affected capillary action.
  • dust: Is regular damp dusting of office furniture, ledges, shelves, etc. carried out to help keep dust to a minimum?

Browse dictionary entries near damp

  1. damozel
  2. damosel
  3. Damon and Pythias
  4. damoiselle
  5. Damocles
  6. damning
  7. damnifying
  8. damnify
  9. damnified
  10. damned
  1. damp-dried
  2. damp-dry
  3. damp-drying
  4. damp off
  5. dampen
  6. dampener
  7. damper
  8. Dampier
  9. damping-off
  10. dampish