damp

[ damp ]

/ dæmp /

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adjective, damp·er, damp·est.

slightly wet; moist: damp weather; a damp towel.

unenthusiastic; dejected; depressed: The welcoming committee gave them a rather damp reception.

noun

moisture; humidity; moist air: damp that goes through your warmest clothes.

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

depression of spirits; dejection.

a restraining or discouraging force or factor.

verb (used with object)

to make damp; moisten.

to check or retard the energy, action, etc., of; deaden; dampen: A series of failures damped her enthusiasm.

to stifle or suffocate; extinguish: to damp a furnace.

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

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

Verb Phrases

damp off, to undergo damping-off.

Nearby words

damocles, sword of, damodar, damoiselle, damon, damon and pythias, damp, damp box, damp off, damp squib, damp-dry, damp-mop

Origin of damp

1300–50; Middle English (in sense of def. 4); compare Middle Dutch damp, Middle High German dampf vapor, smoke

SYNONYMS FOR damp

1 dank, steamy.

3 dankness, dampness, fog, vapor.

7 humidify.

8 slow, inhibit, restrain, moderate, abate.

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ANTONYMS FOR damp

1 dry.

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Related forms

damp·ish, adjectivedamp·ish·ly, adverbdamp·ish·ness, noundamp·ly, adverb

damp·ness, noun

Can be confused

damp moist (see synonym study at the current entry)damp dampen

Synonym study

1. 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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for dampness

The rock to which he had been chained was still wet, and he noticed that the dampness existed far above his head.
Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer|Cyrus Townsend Brady
They would hardly go off that way—in the dampness of the night—without having taken more than they wore when I started on my walk.
Tom Fairfield in Camp|Allen Chapman
The entire crew was suffering from putrid fever, probably owing to the dampness of the new vessel.
Celebrated Travels and Travellers|Jules Verne
It will be warm and dry, saving many losses from wet feet and diseases brought on by dampness and cold.
The Library of Work and Play: Outdoor Work|Mary Rogers Miller

In this way, the asphalt is held in position, and is an absolute prevention of dampness.
Rural Hygiene|Henry N. Ogden

British Dictionary definitions for dampness

damp

/ (dæmp) /

adjective

slightly wet, as from dew, steam, etc

archaic dejected

noun

slight wetness; moisture; humidity

rank air or poisonous gas, esp in a mineSee also firedamp

a discouragement; damper

archaic dejection

verb (tr)

to make slightly wet

(often foll by down) to stifle or deadento damp one's ardour

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

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

music to muffle (the sound of an instrument)

Derived Forms

dampish, adjectivedamply, adverbdampness, noun

Word Origin for damp

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012