dampen
Pronunciation
  • IPA: /ˈdæmpən/
Verb

dampen (dampens, present participle dampening; past and past participle dampened)

  1. (transitive) To make damp or moist; to make slightly wet.
  2. (intransitive) To become damp or moist.
  3. (transitive) To depress; to check; to make dull; to lessen.
    • 1883 "Pomona's Daughter", Frank R. Stockton, in The Century, vol. XXVI, number 1, May, [https://books.google.com/books?id=x1aQWbz_eYAC&pg=PA25&dq=%22He+was+dreadfully+familiar+with+everything,+and+talked+about+some+places+we+were+longing+to+see+in+a+way+that+considerably+dampened+our+enthusiasm%22 page 25]
      He was dreadfully familiar with everything, and talked about some places we were longing to see in a way that considerably dampened our enthusiasm.
    • 2007 October 16, Jane E. Brody, “Despite Strides, Listeria Needs Vigilance”, The New York Times,
      Pregnant women are 20 times as likely as other healthy young women to contract listeriosis, probably because in pregnancy the immune system is dampened to prevent rejection of the fetus.
  4. (intransitive) To become damped or deadened.
Translations Translations Translations
  • French: s'humidifier, s'humecter



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