damp

[damp]

adjective

damper, dampest 

1. slightly wet; moist.

   damp weather;

   a damp towel.

   Synonyms: steamy, dank
   Antonyms: dry

2. unenthusiastic; halfhearted; tepid.

   The welcoming committee gave them a rather damp reception.

3. dejected; depressed.

   I went shopping to lift my damp spirits.

noun

1. moisture; humidity; moist air.

   damp that goes through your warmest clothes.

   Synonyms: vapor, fog

2. a noxious or stifling vapor or gas, especially in a mine.

3. depression of spirits; dejection.

4. a restraining or discouraging force or factor.

verb (used with object)

1. to make damp; moisten.

   Synonyms: humidify

2. to check or retard the energy, action, etc., of; deaden; dampen.

   A series of failures damped her enthusiasm.

   Synonyms: moderate, restrain, inhibit, slow, abate

3. to stifle or suffocate; extinguish.

   to damp a furnace.

4. Acoustics, Music.,  to check or retard the action of (a vibrating string); dull; deaden.

5. Physics.,  to cause a decrease in amplitude of (successive oscillations or waves).

verb phrase

1. damp off,  to undergo damping-off.

damp

/ dæmp /

adjective

1. slightly wet, as from dew, steam, etc

2. archaic,  dejected

noun

1. slight wetness; moisture; humidity

2. rank air or poisonous gas, esp in a mine See also firedamp

3. a discouragement; damper

4. archaic,  dejection

verb

1. to make slightly wet

2. (often foll by down) to stifle or deaden

   to damp one's ardour

3. (often foll by down) to reduce the flow of air to (a fire) to make it burn more slowly or to extinguish it

4. physics to reduce the amplitude of (an oscillation or wave)

5. music to muffle (the sound of an instrument)

Other Word Forms

• dampish adjective
• dampishly adverb
• dampishness noun
• damply adverb
• dampness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of damp¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English (in sense of damp def. 5 ); compare Middle Dutch damp, Middle High German dampf “vapor, smoke”

Word History and Origins

Origin of damp¹

C14: from Middle Low German damp steam; related to Old High German demphen to cause to steam

Synonym Study

Damp, humid, moist mean slightly wet. Damp usually implies slight and extraneous wetness, generally undesirable or unpleasant unless the result of intention: a damp cellar; to put a damp cloth on a patient's forehead. Humid is applied to unpleasant dampness in the air: The air is oppressively humid today. Moist denotes something that is slightly wet, naturally or properly: moist ground; moist leather.

Example Sentences

I didn’t want to descend into a dark, damp, claustrophobic space.

From Salon

And it sets out measures to make it easier for social housing tenants to have damp and mould in their homes fixed.

From BBC

It succeeded, at the very least, in damping down the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union enough that it never escalated into civilization-ending apocalypse.

From Salon

They are known for causing significant annual delays and prompt discussion about how a country can be considered functioning if it can't deal with some damp foliage.

From BBC

Whenever he throws a damp scarf into the audience, the women go so crazy you’d think it was the Shroud of Turin.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cloudy 
• dank 
• drizzly www.thesaurus.com
• misty 
• moist 
• muggy 
• saturated 
• soaked www.thesaurus.com
• sodden 
• soggy 
• steamy 
• sticky 
• waterlogged