dampen
verb/ˈdæmpən/
Etymology From damp + -en.
1
To make damp or moist; to make moderately wet.
2
To become damp or moist.
3
To lessen; to dull; to make less intense (said of emotions and non-physical things).
- We won't let the bad news dampen our spirits.
- He was dreadfully familiar with everything, and talked about some places we were longing to see in a way that considerably dampened our enthusiasm.1883 "Pomona's Daughter", Frank R. Stockton, in The Century, vol. XXVI, number 1, May, page 25
2 more examples
- Pregnant women are 20 times as likely as other healthy young women to contract listeriosis, probably because in pregnancy the immune system is dampened to prevent rejection of the fetus.2007 October 16, Jane E. Brody, “Despite Strides, Listeria Needs Vigilance”, in The New York Times:
- The firm said changes in consumer behaviour had also dampened demand for the powder.2020 May 20, “J&J to sell baby powder in UK despite stopping US sales”, in BBC, London: BBC, retrieved 22 May 2020:
4
Proscribed To suppress vibrations (mechanical) or oscillations (electrical) by converting energy to heat (or some other form of energy).
5
To become damped or deadened.
- Derived terms
- dampen down, dampener, dampeningly, dampen off, redampen, undampened