damp

damp
1 adjective
1 slightly wet, often in an unpleasant way: Wipe the leather with a damp cloth.
2 damp squib BrE informal something that is intended to be exciting, effective etc, but which is disappointing
— damply adverb USAGE NOTE: DAMP WORD CHOICE: damp, moist, humid Damp is often used about something you would prefer to be dry: damp clothes/weather | a damp bed/wall/room | In the rainy season everything gets damp I'm afraid. Moist is used especially when something is not too wet and not too dry: a moist ginger cake | Keep houseplant soil moist - don't let it dry out. Humid is a more technical word used mainly to describe the climate or weather, or air that feels wet: It gets very humid here in the summer (=the air is hot and damp). You do not usually use these words to talk about people who get wet. 2 noun (U) BrE a part or area that is slightly wet: There's a patch of damp on my bedroom wall. 3 verb (T) to make a sound less loud: Damp the sound with the pedal after each beat. damp sth down phrasal verb (T)
1 to make a fire burn more slowly, often by covering it with ash
2 to control, reduce or limit something, especially a feeling: damping down a child's high spirits

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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  • Damp — (d[a^]mp), n. [Akin to LG., D., & Dan. damp vapor, steam, fog, G. dampf, Icel. dampi, Sw. damb dust, and to MNG. dimpfen to smoke, imp. dampf.] 1. Moisture; humidity; fog; fogginess; vapor. [1913 Webster] Night . . . with black air Accompanied,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • damp — damp; damp·en; damp·en·er; damp·er; damp·ish; damp·ly; damp·ness; damp·proof·er; damp·proof; damp·ish·ly; …   English syllables

  • Damp — Damp, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Damped}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Damping}.] [OE. dampen to choke, suffocate. See {Damp}, n.] 1. To render damp; to moisten; to make humid, or moderately wet; to dampen; as, to damp cloth. [1913 Webster] 2. To put out, as fire; …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Damp — (d[a^]mp), a. [Compar. {Damper}; superl. {Dampest}.] 1. Being in a state between dry and wet; moderately wet; moist; humid. [1913 Webster] O erspread with a damp sweat and holy fear. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. Dejected; depressed; sunk. [R.] [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • damp — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ slightly wet. ► NOUN ▪ moisture in the air, on a surface, or in a solid. ► VERB 1) make damp. 2) (damp down) control or restrain (a feeling or situation). 3) (damp down …   English terms dictionary

  • damp — [damp] n. [MDu, vapor, steam, akin to OHG, MHG, Ger dampf < IE base * dhem , to smoke, mist > DANK] 1. a slight wetness; moisture 2. a harmful gas sometimes found in mines; firedamp; blackdamp 3. Archaic a dejected or depressed state adj. 1 …   English World dictionary

  • damp´en|er — damp|en «DAM puhn», transitive verb. 1. to make damp; moisten: »Mother sprinkles water over the clothes to dampen them before ironing. SYNONYM(S): wet. 2. Figurative. to cast a chill over; depress; discourage: »The sad news dampened our spirits.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • damp|en — «DAM puhn», transitive verb. 1. to make damp; moisten: »Mother sprinkles water over the clothes to dampen them before ironing. SYNONYM(S): wet. 2. Figurative. to cast a chill over; depress; discourage: »The sad news dampened our spirits. SYNONY …   Useful english dictionary

  • dAMP — ↑ Adenosinphosphat. * * * Dạmp,   Gemeinde im Kreis Rendsburg Eckernförde, Schleswig Holstein, Ostseebad, 1 600 Einwohner; Ferienzentrum Ostseebad Damp mit über 5 000 Betten, Sportmedizin …   Universal-Lexikon

  • damp — (n.) early 14c., a noxious vapor, perhaps in O.E. but there is no record of it. If not, probably from M.L.G. damp; ultimately in either case from P.Gmc. *dampaz (Cf. O.H.G. damph, Ger. Dampf vapor; O.N. dampi dust ). Sense of moisture, humidity… …   Etymology dictionary

  • damp — sb., en, e, ene, i sms. damp , fx dampstrygejern …   Dansk ordbog

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