1. A barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea
   "The dam provided hydroelectric power to the region";
   - dike, dyke
    
2. A metric unit of length equal to ten meters
   "The pool length was exactly one dam";
   - decameter [US], dekameter [US], decametre [Brit, Cdn], dekametre [Brit, Cdn], dkm [Brit]
    
3. Female parent of an animal especially domestic livestock
   "The dam's milk production was closely monitored by the dairy farmer"
    
4. (dentistry) a device to prevent a tooth from getting wet, consisting of a rubber sheet held with a band
   "The dentist placed a dam around the tooth before starting the root canal"

1. Obstruct with, or as if with, a dam
   "dam the gorges of the Yangtse River";
   - dam up

Sounds like: cwms, combesm, dam

Derived forms: damming, dammed, dams

Type of: barrier, block, close up, female, impede, jam, metric linear unit, obstruct, obturate, occlude

Part of: hectometer [US], hectometre [Brit, Cdn], hm [Brit]

Encyclopedia: Dam, Bill