damp

[ damp ]

adjective

, damp·er, damp·est.

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: abate, moderate, restrain, inhibit, slow

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. Plant Pathology. 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. See firedamp
   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)

Derived Forms

• ˈdampness, noun
• ˈdampish, adjective
• ˈdamply, adverb

Other Words From

• dampish adjective
• dampish·ly adverb
• dampish·ness noun
• damply adverb
• dampness 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

We entered the fruiting rooms, which were warm and damp, the air thick and cloying.

From Nautilus

There was no one there to help her, put a damp cloth on her forehead or hold her hand to convey confidence.

From Washington Blade

A sleeved, moisture-wicking dress is the easiest thing to toss on over a damp suit.

From Outside Online

If you’re still anxious about potential toxins in the adhesive, or simply don’t like the taste, moisten the glue strip with a damp sponge instead of your tongue.

From No Straight News

They had to wriggle through dark, damp and cramped spaces every time they visited.

From Science News For Students

Place the stack of phyllo dough sheets on a cutting board and cover it with a slightly damp towel.

From The Daily Beast

Instead, I stayed in a bed-and-breakfast kind of place near the sea, so near that everything in it felt damp all the time.

From The Daily Beast

With me tagging along, they dove into a rudimentary, damp shelter they had dug in a wood nearby.

From The Daily Beast

That same day, despite tissues still damp from the aftermath of the botched audition, my life changed in a matter of two hours.

From The Daily Beast

It insists on efficiency standards for household appliances so that your towels come out of the dryer refreshingly cool and damp.

From The Daily Beast

The tears came so fast to Mrs. Pontellier's eyes that the damp sleeve of her peignoir no longer served to dry them.

From Project Gutenberg

As for him, he much preferred the darkness of his cool, damp galleries under the ground.

From Project Gutenberg

First of all, wrap a portion of damp newspaper round the roots, and then tie up with dry paper.

From Project Gutenberg

Dense fogs always prevail, and generally make the country very damp.

From Project Gutenberg

A damp mist rose from the river and the marshy ground about, and spread itself over the dreary fields.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cloudy
• dank
• drizzly
• misty
• moist
• muggy
• saturated
• soaked
• sodden
• soggy
• steamy
• sticky
• waterlogged