dent

¹

[dent]

noun

1. a hollow or depression in a surface, as from a blow.

2. a noticeable effect, especially of reduction.

   to leave a dent in one's savings;

   a dent in one's pride.

verb (used with object)

1. to make a dent in or on; indent.

   The impact dented the car's fender.

2. to have the effect of reducing or slightly injuring.

   The caustic remark dented his ego.

verb (used without object)

1. to show dents; become indented.

   Tin dents more easily than steel.

2. to sink in, making a dent.

   Nails dent into metal.

dent

²

[dent]

noun

1. a toothlike projection, as a tooth of a gearwheel.

2. Textiles.,  the space between two wires through which the warp ends are drawn in the reed of a loom.

dent-

³

1. variant of denti- before a vowel.

   dentin.

dent.

⁴

abbreviation

1. dental.

2. dentist.

3. dentistry.

dent

¹

/ dɛnt /

noun

1. a hollow or dip in a surface, as one made by pressure or a blow

2. an appreciable effect, esp of lessening

   a dent in our resources

verb

1. to impress or be impressed with a dent or dents

dent

²

/ dɛnt /

noun

1. a toothlike protuberance, esp the tooth of a sprocket or gearwheel

2. textiles the space between two wires in a loom through which a warp thread is drawn

dent.

³

abbreviation

1. dental

2. dentistry

Other Word Forms

• undented adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dent¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English dint, dent, dunt “blow of a weapon; stroke of a sword”; dint

Origin of dent²

First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French, from Latin dent- (stem of dēns ) tooth

Word History and Origins

Origin of dent¹

C13 (in the sense: a stroke, blow): variant of _dint

Origin of dent²

C16: from French: tooth

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. make a dent in, to show initial progress; pass an initial stage of (work, thought, solving a problem, etc.).

   I haven't even made a dent in this pile of work.

2. make a dent, to cause a person to take heed; make an impression.

   The doctor told him to stop smoking, but it didn't make a dent.

see make a dent in.

Example Sentences

"If we're going to make a real dent in waiting lists and get more patients seen faster, we need to change how to deliver healthcare," said the body's chief executive Daniel Elkeles.

From BBC

Europe and the United States have not been willing to apply the kind of economic pressure that would seriously dent Russia’s ability to carry on the war.

From Los Angeles Times

Granted, one win will put only the slightest dent in the damage the past week has already done.

From Los Angeles Times

McLaren have traced the engine failure in last weekend's Dutch Grand Prix that dented Norris' title hopes to a broken oil line - a McLaren issue rather than a problem with the Mercedes engine.

From BBC

If there is a dent or a scratch, to me, it’s character.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• incision 
• indentation 

When To Use

What does dent- mean?

Dent- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “tooth.” It is used in some medical and scientific terms, including in dentistry.Dent- comes from the Latin dēns, meaning “tooth.” Greek words for “tooth” are odṓn, source of the combining forms odonto- and -odont, and odoús, source of the combining form -odus.The word dent, as in "a hollow or depression in a surface," does not share a root with the combining form dent-. Learn where dent comes from at our entry for the word.What are variants of dent-?Dent- is a variant of dento-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use dento- article.Another, more common, variant of dent-, especially before a form with a Latin root, is denti-, as in dentiform.