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1

dam

noun

Definition of dam

1 a : a barrier preventing the flow of water or of loose solid materials (such as soil or snow)
  • a beaver dam
  • an ice dam
; especially, civil engineering : a barrier built across a watercourse for impounding (see impound 2) water
b : a barrier to check the flow of liquid, gas, or air
2 : a body of water confined by a barrier

Origin and Etymology of dam

Middle English, probably from Middle Dutch; akin to Old English fordemman to stop up

2

dam

verb

Definition of dam

dammed; damming
transitive verb
1 : to provide or restrain with a barrier that prevents the flow of water : to provide or restrain with a dam (see 1dam 1a)
  • dam a river
2 : to stop up : block
  • damming up their emotions

See dam defined for English-language learners

Examples of dam in a Sentence

  1. ice floes were damming the river

Origin and Etymology of dam

see 1dam

dam Synonyms

Synonyms

block, choke, clog, clot, congest, gum (up), jam, obstruct, occlude, plug (up), stop (up), stuff;

Antonyms

clear, free, open (up), unblock, unclog, unplug, unstop;

Near Antonyms

excavate, hollow (out), scoop (out);

empty, lighten;

Related Words

bung, cork, stopper, stopple;

fill, gridlock, pack;

fur, silt;

flood, glut, inundate, overwhelm, swamp;

Other Civil Engineering Terms

asphalt, ballast, barrage, cantilever, infrastructure, sluice

3

dam

noun \ ˈdam \

Definition of dam

zoology : the female parent of an animal and especially of a domestic animal
  • the foal's dam

Origin and Etymology of dam

Middle English dam, dame lady, dam — more at dame

Other Civil Engineering Terms

asphalt, ballast, barrage, cantilever, infrastructure, sluice

4

dam

abbreviation

Definition of dam

dekameter

Dam

biographical name \ ˈdam , ˈdäm \

Definition of Dam

(Carl Peter) Henrik 1895–1976 Danish biochemist

Phrases Related to DAM

Related Phrases

DAM Defined for English Language Learners

dam

verb

Definition of dam for English Language Learners

  • : to build a dam across (a river or stream)

DAM Defined for Kids

1

dam

noun \ ˈdam \

Definition of dam for Students

: the female parent of a domestic animal (as a dog or horse)
2

dam

noun

Definition of dam for Students

: a barrier (as across a stream) to hold back a flow of water
3

dam

verb

Definition of dam for Students

dammed; damming
: to hold back or block with or as if with a dam
  • Leaves dammed the drains.

Medical Dictionary

1

dam

noun \ ˈdam \

medical Definition of dam

: a female parent —used especially of a domestic animal
2

dam

noun

medical Definition of dam

: rubber dam — see dental dam

dam

abbreviation

medical Definition of dam

dekameter

Learn More about dam

  1. See words that rhyme with dam Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dam Spanish Central: Translation of dam Nglish: Translation of dam for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of dam for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dam

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Dam

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