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definitions

gravity dam

noun
  1. a dam resisting the pressure of impounded water through its own weight.

Origin of gravity dam

First recorded in 1935–40
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for gravity dam

gravity dam

noun
  1. a dam whose weight alone is great enough to prevent it from tipping over
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