noun, verb — 8 senses
UK, US /dɛnt/
Etymology From Middle English dent, dente, dint (“a blow; strike; dent”), from Old English dynt (“blow, strike, the mark or noise of a blow”), from Proto-Germanic *duntiz (“a blow”). Akin to Old Norse dyntr (“dint”). Doublet of dint.
A shallow deformation in the surface of an object, produced by an impact.
Figuratively A minor effect made upon something.
A type of maize/corn with a relatively soft outer hull, and a soft type of starch that shrinks at maturity to leave an indentation in the surface of the kernel.
Broadly, Informal A sudden negative change, such as loss, damage, weakening, consumption or diminution, especially one produced by an external force, event or action
Etymology From Middle English dent, dente, dint (“a blow; strike; dent”), from Old English dynt (“blow, strike, the mark or noise of a blow”), from Proto-Germanic *duntiz (“a blow”). Akin to Old Norse dyntr (“dint”). Doublet of dint.
To impact something, producing a dent.
To develop a dent or dents.
Etymology From French dent, from Latin dēns, dentis (“tooth”). Doublet of dens and tooth.
Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences A tooth, as of a card, a gear wheel, etc.
Business, Manufacturing, Textiles, Weaving A slot or a wire in a reed.
Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.