{
    "term": "dam",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a barrier that is built across a river in order to stop the water from flowing, used especially to make a reservoir (= a lake for storing water) or to produce electricity",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the Narmada dam in India"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The dam burst."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The dam burst and the valley was flooded."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The dam has been breached and there is a danger of flooding."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The dam holds back the water."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a large hydroelectric dam on the Colorado River"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Buildings", "The environment", "Geography"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["hydroelectric"],
                "verb + dam": ["build", "construct", "breach"],
                "dam + verb": ["burst", "break", "hold something back"],
                "preposition": ["dam across", "dam on"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "an artificial lake where rain or spring water is collected and stored",
            "labels": "(especially South African English)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The dam was quite full after the winter."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "the mother of some animals, especially horses",
            "labels": "(specialist)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a small rubber sheet used by dentists to keep a tooth separate from the other teeth",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "a small rubber sheet used to protect the mouth during sex",
            "examples": []
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dæm/",
                "audio": "da/dam/dam__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dæm/",
                "audio": "da/dam/dam__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "noun sense 1 Middle English: from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch; related to Dutch dam and German Damm, also to Old English fordemman ‘close up’. noun sense 2 late Middle English (denoting a human mother): alteration of dame."
}