Damp /(dămp)/

Damp

n.
  1. Moisture; humidity; fog; fogginess; vapor.
    Night . . . with black air Accompanied, with damps and dreadful gloom.
  2. Dejection; depression; cloud of the mind.
    Even now, while thus I stand blest in thy presence, A secret damp of grief comes o'er my soul.
    It must have thrown a damp over your autumn excursion.
    — J. D. Forbes.
  3. A gaseous product, formed in coal mines, old wells, pints, etc. (Mining)

Phrases & Compounds
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.

Damp

a.
  1. Being in a state between dry and wet; moderately wet; moist; humid.
    O'erspread with a damp sweat and holy fear.
  2. Dejected; depressed; sunk. [R.]
    All these and more came flocking, but with looks Downcast and damp.

Damp

v. i.

imp. & p. p. Damped; p. pr. & vb. n. Damping

  1. To render damp; to moisten; to make humid, or moderately wet; to dampen; as, to damp cloth.
  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.
    Usury dulls and damps all industries, improvements, and new inventions, wherein money would be stirring if it were not for this slug.
    How many a day has been damped and darkened by an angry word!
    — Sir J. Lubbock.
    The failure of his enterprise damped the spirit of the soldiers.