Dam — Defs

01 n. A female parent; -- used of beasts, especially of quadrupeds; sometimes applied in contempt to a human mother.

1.
A female parent; -- used of beasts, especially of quadrupeds; sometimes applied in contempt to a human mother.
“Our sire and dam, now confined to horses, are a relic of this age (13th century) . . . .Dame is used of a hen; we now make a great difference between dame and dam.” — T. L. K. Oliphant.

“The dam runs lowing up and down, Looking the way her harmless young one went.” — Shak.
2.
A king or crowned piece in the game of draughts.

02 n. A barrier to prevent the flow of a liquid; esp., a bank of earth, or wall of any kind, as of masonry or wood, built across a water course, …

1.
A barrier to prevent the flow of a liquid; esp., a bank of earth, or wall of any kind, as of masonry or wood, built across a water course, to confine and keep back flowing water.
2.
A firebrick wall, or a stone, which forms the front of the hearth of a blast furnace.(Metal.)

Phrases & compounds

Dam plate — an iron plate in front of the dam, to strengthen it.

03 v. t. To obstruct or restrain the flow of, by a dam; to confine by constructing a dam, as a stream of water; -- generally used with in or up.

imp. & p. p. Dammed; p. pr. & vb. n. Damming

1.
To obstruct or restrain the flow of, by a dam; to confine by constructing a dam, as a stream of water; -- generally used with in or up.
“I'll have the current in this place dammed up.” — Shak.

“A weight of earth that dams in the water.” — Mortimer.
2.
To shut up; to stop up; to close; to restrain.
“The strait pass was dammed With dead men hurt behind, and cowards.” — Shak.

Phrases & compounds

To dam out — to keep out by means of a dam.