Damper

( Mech.) The D. of a furnace, or fire-place, is a door or valve, which, by rising, falling, sliding, or otherwise, le ens the pa age for air, and thus damps or checks the intensity of the combustion. - The D. of a pianoforte also acts as a check; it is in the form of a small level, which pre es against a string soon after it has begun to sound, and thus stops the vibration. An apparatus which communicates dampne is also called a D.: thus, damping-machines have been invented for the purpose of moistening postage and other stamps. -A cake of flour kneaded with water, unleavened, and baked on the embers. (Used in Australia.) -Anything which chills, obstructs, discourages, or disheartens. (Used metaphorically.) Dampier, WILLIAM, ( dam'peer ,) an English navigator, was B. at East Coker, Somersets hire, in 1652, and became a mariner at an early age. During many years of active service in privateers and trading-ve els, he several times visited the South seas; and the results of his observations were given to the public in a work entitled A Voyage round the World , which for accuracy and interest, as well as for profe ional knowledge, po e es considerable merit. He D., as is supposed, in 1712, but the exact time is not known. Dam'pier ARCHIPELAGO, and STRAIT, named after the above navigator. The strait , which is 35 m. wide, sepаrates the island of Waygiou from the N.W. extremity of Papua or New Guinea, lying almost immediately under the equator, and about Lon. 131° E.; so as to be, as nearly as po ible, the antipodes of the mouth of the Amazons. The archipelago , again, is off the N.W. coast of Australia, in abt. Lat. 21° S., and Lon. 117o E. The principal islands of the cluster are Enderby, Lewis, Rosemary, Legendre, and Depuch. Damp'ish, a . Moist or damp to a certain degree. Damp'ishly, adv . In a dampish manner. Damp'ishne , n. Tendency to wetne ; state of being dampish; slight humidity; a moderate degree of dampne or moistne . Damp'ne , n. State of being damp; moisture; foggine ; moistne ; moderate humidity. Damsel, Damosel, ( dam'zl ,) n. [O. Fr. damoiseau . damoisel; Fr. demoiselle ; It. damigella , from dam a , a dame, a lady, from Lat. domina .] A young unmarried woman; a girl; a la . "One mad damsel dares dispute my pow'r." -Prior. Damson. ( dam'zn,) n. [Contracted from damascene.] A small black plum, originally brought from Damascus, Syria. Dan, (Heb., judgment,] a son of Jacob by Bilhah, the servant of Rachel, and the father of the warlike tribe of Dan, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, which was second only to that of Judah in numbers before entering Canaan. A territory was a igned to Dan, extending S.E. rick co. of the latter State, and a generally course, turns E., and then cro es and recro es the boundary of the two States no le than five times; till, finally returning into Virginia, it unites with the Staunton, or Roanoke, in Mecklenburg co. Length, about 200 m.