Hypertext Webster Gateway: "dam"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Dam \Dam\, n. [Akin to OLG., D., & Dan. dam, G. & Sw. damm,
Icel. dammr, and AS. fordemman to stop up, Goth.
Fa['u]rdammjan.]
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. (Metal.) A firebrick wall, or a stone, which forms the
front of the hearth of a blast furnace.

{Dam plate} (Blast Furnace), an iron plate in front of the
dam, to strengthen it.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Dam \Dam\, n. [OE. dame mistress, lady; also, mother, dam. See
{Dame}.]
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 end down, Looking the way her
harmless young one went. --Shak.

2. A kind or crowned piece in the game of draughts.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Dam \Dam\, v. t. [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.

{To dam out}, to keep out by means of a dam.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

dam
n 1: a barrier constructed to contain the flow or water or to
keep out the sea [syn: {dike}, {dyke}, {levee}]
2: a metric unit of length equal to ten meters [syn: {decameter},
{dekameter}, {decametre}, {dekametre}, {dkm}]
3: female parent of an animal especially domestic livestock
v : obstruct with, or as if with, a dam [syn: {dam up}]

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