Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To make damp.
  • intransitive verb To deaden, restrain, or depress.
  • intransitive verb To soundproof.
  • intransitive verb To become damp.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To make damp or humid; apply moisture to; wet slightly; damp: as, the grass was dampened by a slight shower; to dampen clothes for ironing.
  • To put a check or damper upon; make weak or dull; dim; deaden. See damp.
  • To become damp.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To make damp or moist; to make slightly wet.
  • transitive verb To depress; to check; to make dull; to lessen.
  • intransitive verb To become damp; to deaden.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb transitive To make damp or moist; to make slightly wet.
  • verb transitive To depress; to check; to make dull; to lessen.
  • verb intransitive To become damp; to deaden.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb lessen in force or effect
  • verb deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping
  • verb make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible
  • verb check; keep in check (a fire)
  • verb reduce the amplitude (of oscillations or waves)
  • verb smother or suppress
  • verb make moist

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

damp +‎ -en

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Examples

Comments

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  • Contronymic in the sense: add (water) vs. remove (activity).

    January 27, 2007