damp·en

[dam-puhn]
verb (used with object)
1.
to make damp; moisten: to dampen a sponge.
2.
to dull or deaden; depress: to dampen one's spirits.
3.
damp ( def 10 ).
verb (used without object)
4.
to become damp.

Origin:
1620–30; damp + -en1

damp·en·er, noun
un·damp·ened, adjective

damp, dampen, moist (see synonym study at damp).
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To dampen
00:10
Dampen is one of our favorite verbs.
So is peculate. Does it mean:
to bark; yelp.
to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.
Collins
World English Dictionary
dampen (ˈdæmpən) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  to make or become damp
2.  (tr) to stifle; deaden
 
'dampener
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

dampen
c.1630, "to dull or deaden" (of force, enthusiasm, ardor, etc.), from damp. Literal meaning "to moisten" is recorded from 1827. Related: Dampened (c.1630); dampener (1887).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Even if either of them play exceedingly well, the log-jam at shooting guard
  will dampen any fun.
Designers have also developed an array of coatings and composite materials to
  help soak up radar waves and dampen heat.
Moreover, the political aftermath of the hurricane may dampen lawmakers'
  already tepid enthusiasm for budget-cutting.
Experts say the shift could dampen demand, although some hybrids will look
  better on paper than others.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT