# dam

Pronunciation: say "DAM" /dæm/

## Noun

1. A barrier built across a flowing body of water to stop or divert the flow, often to store water or prevent sudden flooding.
   - Simple: A wall built across a river to hold back or control the water.
   - _The dam regulates the river's flow to protect downstream towns from flooding._
   - _Workers reinforced the aging dam after engineers found cracks in its concrete._
3. The female parent of an animal, especially in the context of breeding livestock or pets.
   - Simple: The mother of an animal, especially one used for breeding.
   - _The puppy inherited its calm temperament from its dam._
   - _Each calf is recorded alongside its dam and sire in the herd book._
4. The body of water held back by a dam; in Australia and South Africa, any reservoir or pond built to store water.
   - Simple: The water stored behind a dam, or in Australia and South Africa, a farm pond or reservoir.
   - _After months without rain, the water level in the town's dam has dropped below thirty percent._
   - _After heavy rains, the dam rose to its highest level in years._
5. A thin sheet of latex or similar material, anchored by a clamp around the tooth, that isolates a tooth and keeps it dry during dental work.
   - Simple: A thin rubber sheet that keeps a tooth dry while a dentist works on it.
   - _The hygienist secured the dam before the procedure began._
   - _Dental dams reduce contamination by saliva during restorative work._

## Verb

2. To block or restrict the flow of water by placing a barrier across it.
   - Simple: To block or hold back flowing water with a barrier.
   - _The settlers dammed the creek to power their mill._
   - _Engineers plan to dam the river upstream of the town._
6. To restrain or obstruct something other than water, such as emotions, speech, or a flow of people, much as a dam holds back water; frequently followed by up.
   - Simple: To hold back things like feelings, words, or crowds, the way a dam holds back water, often said with up.
   - _He could no longer dam the flood of words he had been saving for this moment._
   - _For years she had dammed up her anger, and now it all came pouring out._

## Other meanings

- (noun) A crowned piece in the game of checkers, able to move in more directions than an ordinary piece.
- (noun) In a blast furnace, the firebrick wall or stone that makes up the front of the hearth.
- (noun) A small former copper coin of India, worth one fortieth of a rupee, or of Nepal, where 128 made one mohar.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–2, 4–6** — Proto-Germanic *dammaz led to Proto-West Germanic *damm and then to an Old English *damm, which became Middle English dam.
**Meaning 3** — A variant of "dame," and a doublet of "domina" and "donna."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/dam (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).