dent

¹

[ dent ]

noun

1. a hollow or depression in a surface, as from a blow.
2. a noticeable effect, especially of reduction:

   to leave a dent in one's savings;

   a dent in one's pride.

verb (used with object)

1. to make a dent in or on; indent:

   The impact dented the car's fender.

2. to have the effect of reducing or slightly injuring:

   The caustic remark dented his ego.

verb (used without object)

1. to show dents; become indented:

   Tin dents more easily than steel.

2. to sink in, making a dent:

   Nails dent into metal.

dent

²

[ dent ]

noun

1. a toothlike projection, as a tooth of a gearwheel.
2. Textiles. the space between two wires through which the warp ends are drawn in the reed of a loom.

dent-

³

1. variant of denti- before a vowel:

   dentin.

dent.

⁴

abbreviation for

1. dental.
2. dentist.
3. dentistry.

dent

¹

/ dɛnt /

noun

1. a toothlike protuberance, esp the tooth of a sprocket or gearwheel
2. textiles the space between two wires in a loom through which a warp thread is drawn

dent.

²

abbreviation for

1. dental
2. dentistry

dent

³

/ dɛnt /

noun

1. a hollow or dip in a surface, as one made by pressure or a blow
2. an appreciable effect, esp of lessening

   a dent in our resources

verb

1. to impress or be impressed with a dent or dents

Other Words From

• un·dented adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dent¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English dint, dent, dunt “blow of a weapon; stroke of a sword”; dint

Origin of dent²

First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French, from Latin dent- (stem of dēns ) tooth

Word History and Origins

Origin of dent¹

C16: from French: tooth

Origin of dent²

C13 (in the sense: a stroke, blow): variant of dint

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. make a dent in, to show initial progress; pass an initial stage of (work, thought, solving a problem, etc.):

   I haven't even made a dent in this pile of work.

2. make a dent, Informal. to cause a person to take heed; make an impression:

   The doctor told him to stop smoking, but it didn't make a dent.

More idioms and phrases containing dent

see make a dent in .

Example Sentences

Multiply this at the scale of Facebook’s billions of users and across all subject matters, and it’s easy to see why simply not “recommending” some groups barely makes a dent.

From TechCrunch

Many of those top-of-the-line homes on wheels can put a dent in your savings as large as a condo.

From Outside Online

Yet, you want your brand to gain traction and make a dent, in spite of the dominant brands.

From Search Engine Watch

The vaccine has to be effective, and there needs to be enough of it to put a dent in transmission.

From Vox

I won’t say it’s cured me of my insomnia completely, but it’s made enough of a dent to keep it around.

From Fortune

My desk still has the dent from where I hit my head against it when I heard that one.

From The Daily Beast

That is bound to put a dent in public confidence in the police.

From The Daily Beast

Even with mixed reviews, the film did little to dent Clooney's reputation.

From The Daily Beast

Plane travel is extremely dehydrating, and continuously purchasing water at airport prices can put a dent in your wallet.

From The Daily Beast

Emergency benefits have just expired for some 1.3 million jobless Americans, putting a huge dent in our economy.

From The Daily Beast

I guess he can't make a dent on the Chinese disposition, or he'd have had Wong dead before this.

From Project Gutenberg

Please take the dent out of my side, Poly, for I am more crippled than was the Soldier.

From Project Gutenberg

The snow-covered Dent du Midi had a splendor like the face of the full moon when it is rising.

From Project Gutenberg

Then he would show the dent in his cheek, and pass his helmet round for all to see, as a conjurer does.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. John Dent was born about the middle of the eighteenth century.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• incision
• indentation