damp (dămp)
adj., damp·er, damp·est.

1. Slightly wet. See synonyms at wet.
2. Archaic. Dejected.

n.

1. Moisture in the air; humidity.
2. Foul or poisonous gas that sometimes pollutes the air in coal mines.
3. Lowness of spirits; depression.
4. A restraint or check; a discouragement.

tr.v., damped, damp·ing, damps.

1. To make damp or moist; moisten.
2. To extinguish (a fire, for example) by cutting off air.
3. To restrain or check; discourage.
4. Music. To slow or stop the vibrations of (the strings of a keyboard instrument) with a damper.
5. Physics. To decrease the amplitude of (an oscillating system).

phrasal verb:

damp off Botany.

1. To be affected by damping off.

[Middle English, poison gas, perhaps from Middle Dutch, vapor.]

dampish damp'ish adj.
damply damp'ly adv.
dampness damp'ness n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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