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

1. dental.

2. dentist.

3. dentistry.

dent

¹

/ 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

dent

²

/ 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.

³

abbreviation

1. dental

2. dentistry

Other Word Forms

• undented 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

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

Origin of dent²

C16: from French: tooth

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, to cause a person to take heed; make an impression.

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

see make a dent in.

Example Sentences

McLaren have traced the engine failure in last weekend's Dutch Grand Prix that dented Norris' title hopes to a broken oil line - a McLaren issue rather than a problem with the Mercedes engine.

From BBC

If there is a dent or a scratch, to me, it’s character.

From Los Angeles Times

"Unfortunately, this level of sales growth makes little dent on the £7bn of new costs that retailers are having to shoulder following last year's Budget."

From BBC

Having struggled to put a dent in Muchova's serve earlier in the first set, Osaka pounced decisively at 5-4 - going 0-40 up and closing out the opener at the second time of asking.

From BBC

Her confidence has been dented and the experience has had a negative impact on her schoolwork, her mother said.

From BBC

Related Words

• incision 
• indentation 

When To Use

What does dent- mean?

Dent- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “tooth.” It is used in some medical and scientific terms, including in dentistry.Dent- comes from the Latin dēns, meaning “tooth.” Greek words for “tooth” are odṓn, source of the combining forms odonto- and -odont, and odoús, source of the combining form -odus.The word dent, as in "a hollow or depression in a surface," does not share a root with the combining form dent-. Learn where dent comes from at our entry for the word.What are variants of dent-?Dent- is a variant of dento-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use dento- article.Another, more common, variant of dent-, especially before a form with a Latin root, is denti-, as in dentiform.