-damp-

n. [ Akin to LG., D., & Dan. damp vapor, steam, fog, G. dampf, Icel. dampi, Sw. damb dust, and to MNG. dimpfen to smoke, imp. dampf. ] 1. Moisture; humidity; fog; fogginess; vapor. [ 1913 Webster ]

Night . . . with black air
Accompanied, with damps and dreadful gloom. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Dejection; depression; cloud of the mind. [ 1913 Webster ]

Even now, while thus I stand blest in thy presence,
A secret damp of grief comes o'er my soul. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

It must have thrown a damp over your autumn excursion. J. D. Forbes. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mining) A gaseous product, formed in coal mines, old wells, pints, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Choke damp, a damp consisting principally of carbonic acid gas; -- so called from its extinguishing flame and animal life. See Carbonic acid, under Carbonic. --
Damp sheet, a curtain in a mine gallery to direct air currents and prevent accumulation of gas. --
Fire damp, a damp consisting chiefly of light carbureted hydrogen; -- so called from its tendence to explode when mixed with atmospheric air and brought into contact with flame. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Damped p. pr. & vb. n. Damping. ] [ OE. dampen to choke, suffocate. See Damp, n. ] 1. To render damp; to moisten; to make humid, or moderately wet; to dampen; as, to damp cloth. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To put out, as fire; to depress or deject; to deaden; to cloud; to check or restrain, as action or vigor; to make dull; to weaken; to discourage. “To damp your tender hopes.” Akenside. [ 1913 Webster ]

Usury dulls and damps all industries, improvements, and new inventions, wherein money would be stirring if it were not for this slug. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

How many a day has been damped and darkened by an angry word! Sir J. Lubbock. [ 1913 Webster ]

The failure of his enterprise damped the spirit of the soldiers. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To become damp; to deaden. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. dampened p. pr. & vb. n. dampening. ] 1. To make damp or moist; to make slightly wet. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To depress; to check; to make dull; to lessen. [ 1913 Webster ]

In a way that considerably dampened our enthusiasm. The Century. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the act or process of making something slightly wet.
Syn. -- moistening. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. That which damps or checks; as: (a) A valve or movable plate in the flue or other part of a stove, furnace, etc., used to check or regulate the draught of air. (b) A contrivance, as in a pianoforte, to deaden vibrations; or, as in other pieces of mechanism, to check some action at a particular time. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nor did Sabrina's presence seem to act as any damper at the modest little festivities. W. Black. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Moderately damp or moist.

-- Damp"ish*ly, adv. -- Damp"ish*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To damn. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]