Dampen
/ˈdæmpən/ verb
verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To make damp or moist; to make moderately wet. transitive
- 2 make moist wordnet
- 3 To become damp or moist. intransitive
- 4 lessen in force or effect wordnet
- 5 To lessen; to dull; to make less intense (said of emotions and non-physical things). transitive
"We won't let the bad news dampen our spirits."
Show 7 more definitions
- 6 check; keep in check (a fire) wordnet
- 7 To suppress vibrations (mechanical) or oscillations (electrical) by converting energy to heat (or some other form of energy). proscribed, transitive
- 8 make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible wordnet
- 9 To become damped or deadened. intransitive
- 10 suppress or constrain so as to lessen in intensity wordnet
- 11 reduce the amplitude (of oscillations or waves) wordnet
- 12 deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping wordnet
Example
More examples"The defeat didn't dampen his spirits."
Etymology
From damp + -en.