dam

Etymology 1

From Middle English dam, from Old English *damm, from Proto-West Germanic *damm, from Proto-Germanic *dammaz.

noun

1. A structure placed across a flowing body of water to stop the flow or part of the flow, generally for purposes such as retaining or diverting some of the water or retarding the release of accumulated water to avoid abrupt flooding.
   A dam is often an essential source of water to farmers of hilly country.
   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[…] 1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad
   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. 2013-08-16, John Vidal, “Dams endanger ecology of Himalayas”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 10, page 8
2. The water reservoir resulting from placing such a structure.
   Boats may only be used at places set aside for boating on the dam.
3. (dentistry) A device to prevent a tooth from getting wet during dental work, consisting of a rubber sheet held with a band.
4. (South Africa, Australia) A reservoir.
5. A firebrick wall, or a stone, which forms the front of the hearth of a blast furnace.

verb

1. (transitive) To block the flow of water.

Etymology 2

Variant of dame. Doublet of domina and donna.

noun

1. Female parent, mother, generally regarding breeding of animals.
   she / Resolved that Juan should be quite a paragon, / And worthy of the noblest pedigree / (His sire was from Castile, his dam from Aragon)[…]. 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, Part 1
   The sky was cloudless—the moon rolled across the surface like a lamb searching for its dam. 1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber 1992, page 112
2. A kind of crowned piece in the game of draughts.

Etymology 3

Said to be possibly coined from the English phrase "I don't give a dam(n)," referring to its small worth.

noun

1. (India) An obsolete Indian copper coin, equal to a fortieth of a rupee.
   […] A small Indian coin; whence comes the saying "I don't care a dam for you," that is I don't value you a farthing, and not as generally given, "I don't care a damn" or a "curse for you." [Possibly a folk etymology.] 1839, William Holloway, A General Dictionary of Provincialisms, Written with a View to Rescue from Oblivion the Fast Fading Relics of By-gone Days, Lewes, East Sussex: Sussex Press: Printed and published by Baxter and Son, →OCLC, page 42
2. A former coin of Nepal, 128 of which were worth one mohar.

Etymology 4

Clipping or Pronunciation spelling of damn.

intj

1. (slang or pronunciation spelling) Damn.

adj

1. (slang or pronunciation spelling) Damn.
   Do not get too caught up in individual campism. The Most-High sent your spirits back on earth to fix yourselves, come together and wake up our people, so do your dam job and stop letting your fleshly desires control you. 2020, Jacie Rowe III, White Lies, Black Truth, The Lost Light, page 196