a barrier to obstruct the flow of water, especially one of earth, masonry, etc., built across a stream or river.
a body of water confined by a dam.
any barrier resembling a dam.
a barrier of concrete, earth, etc, built across a river to create a body of water for a hydroelectric power station, domestic water supply, etc
a reservoir of water created by such a barrier
something that resembles or functions as a dam
1275–1325; Middle English < Middle Dutch, Middle Low German, dam; akin to Old English for-demman to stop up, block
1250–1300; Middle English; variant of dame
A barrier built to block the flow of water is called a dam. If you walk along a stream, you can see where beavers have built a dam out of mud and logs. As a verb, dam means to obstruct or blockade as with a dam. If the kids you're babysitting dam up the bathtub drain when you're not paying attention, the water might overflow and cause a waterfall into the living room downstairs. But water isn't the only thing that can be dammed. You shouldn't dam up your emotions — go ahead and scream if you need to.
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“Sanctions don’t change the amount that flows into a country. It just changes the route,” said David Dorr, managing principal at trading firm DAM.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026
Saturday's opening game between Scotland and England attracted 3,988 fans to Edinburgh's DAM Health Stadium - a new record for a Scotland Women home game.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2022
DAM wants its 800,000 annual guests to be themselves — and see themselves — in the museum.
From New York Times • Oct. 19, 2021
Then Jrere and his friends in DAM bring the noise, closing the night with an incendiary set.
From The Guardian • Apr. 11, 2017
DAM, RICHMOND, INDIANA.—The dam shown in cross-section in Fig.
From Concrete Construction Methods and Costs by Gillette, Halbert Powers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
