Dam

From Middle Dutch, Middle Low German dam, from Proto-Germanic *dammaz.

Full definition of dam

(plural dams)

A structure placed across a flowing body of water to stop the flow.
A dam is often an essential source of water to farmers of hilly country.

1913, w, Lord Stranleigh Abroad Chapter 4, Nothing could be more business-like than the construction of the stout dams, and nothing more gently rural than the limpid lakes, with the grand old forest trees marshalled round their margins … .
2013-08-16, John Vidal, Dams endanger ecology of Himalayas, Most of the Himalayan rivers have been relatively untouched by dams near their sources. Now the two great Asian powers, India and China, are rushing to harness them as they cut through some of the world's deepest valleys.

(dentistry) A device to prevent a tooth from getting wet, consisting of a rubber sheet held with a band.
(South Africa) A reservoir.
A firebrick wall, or a stone, which forms the front of the hearth of a blast furnace.
(India) An obsolete Indian copper coin, equal to a fortieth of a rupee.

Variant of dame.

(plural dams)

Female parent, mother, generally regarding breeding of animals (correlative to sire).

ShakespeareThe dam runs lowing up and down,
Looking the way her harmless young one went.
1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.12:Hunters assure us, that to chuse the best dog, and which they purpose to keepe from out a litter of other young whelps, there is no better meane than the damme herselfe ....
1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, I:she
Resolved that Juan should be quite a paragon,
And worthy of the noblest pedigree
(His sire was from Castile, his dam from Aragon) ....
1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber 1992, p. 112:The sky was cloudless â€“ the moon rolled across the surface like a lamb searching for its dam.