Damp
/dæmp/
Definitions
3 meaningsSlightly wet, often in an unpleasant way.
/dæmp/
Slightly wet, often in an unpleasant way
The sheets felt damp after being left out in the rain.
💡 Simply: Imagine you leave your towel out after a shower. If it's a little wet, not soaking, that's damp! Like the air after it rains.
👶 For kids: When something is a little bit wet, like when you take a bath and spill a little water.
More Examples
The forest floor was damp with morning dew.
The damp climate was not ideal for storing books.
How It's Used
"The air felt damp and heavy after the rain."
"A damp cellar often has a musty smell."
To make something slightly wet.
/dæmp/
To make something slightly wet
She damped a cloth to wipe the table.
💡 Simply: To 'damp' something is like giving it a light sprinkle of water. Think of gently moistening a cloth to wipe a surface.
👶 For kids: To put a little bit of water on something, like when you wet a sponge.
More Examples
He damped his hair before combing it.
The baker damped the bread dough to keep it from drying out.
How It's Used
"She used a damp cloth to clean the counter."
"She damped the soil before planting the seeds."
A slight wetness, often associated with an unpleasant environment.
/dæmp/
A slight wetness
The room had a musty smell due to the damp.
💡 Simply: Damp, as a thing, is just that feeling of a little bit of wetness in the air or on a surface. It's the opposite of completely dry.
👶 For kids: The feeling of something being a little bit wet, like when you splash a little water.
More Examples
He could feel the damp on the stone walls.
The damp in the air made the paper curl.
How It's Used
"A noticeable damp had formed in the basement due to a leak."
"The damp of the air affected the fabric's texture."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
damp squib
Something that fails to produce the intended effect or excitement.
"The fireworks display was a bit of a damp squib, with only a few small explosions."
From Middle Dutch *damp* or Middle Low German *damp*, meaning 'vapour, mist, exhalation'.
Used in historical texts to describe conditions of slight wetness, or the act of making something slightly wet, as in agriculture or housekeeping.
Memory tip
Think of a damp towel; it's not soaking wet, but not dry either.
Word Origin
"vapour, mist, exhalation"