English

A dented shield.

Noun

dent ‎(plural dents)

1. A shallow deformation in the surface of an object, produced by an impact.

   The crash produced a dent in the left side of the car.‎

2. (by extension, informal) A sudden negative change, such as loss, damage, weakening, consumption or diminution, especially one produced by an external force, event or action

   That purchase put a bit of a dent in my wallet.‎

   • 2011 April 11, Phil McNulty, “Liverpool 3 - 0 Man City”, in BBC Sport:

     Andy Carroll's first goals since his £35m move to Liverpool put a dent in Manchester City's Champions League hopes as they were emphatically swept aside at Anfield.

Translations

Verb

dent ‎(third-person singular simple present dents, present participle denting, simple past and past participle dented)

1. (transitive) To impact something, producing a dent.
2. (intransitive) To develop a dent or dents.

   Copper is soft and dents easily.‎

Translations

Etymology 2

French, from Latin dens, dentis, tooth. See tooth.

Noun

dent ‎(plural dents)

1. (engineering) A tooth, as of a card, a gear wheel, etc.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Knight to this entry?)

Anagrams

• tend

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin dentem, accusative of dēns.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /ˈdent/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /ˈden/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /ˈdent/

Noun

dent f ‎(plural dents)

1. (anatomy) tooth
2. tooth (saw tooth)
3. tooth (gear tooth)

French

Etymology

From Middle French dent, from Old French dent, from Latin dentem, accusative of dēns, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃dénts, *h₃dónts.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɑ̃/

Noun

dent f ‎(plural dents)

1. tooth
2. cog (tooth on a gear)

Derived terms

Anagrams

• tend

Latin

Verb

dent

1. third-person plural present active subjunctive of dō

Middle French

Etymology

From Old French dent.

Noun

dent f (plural dens)

1. tooth

Descendants

• French: dent

Norman

Etymology

From Old French dent, from Latin dēns, dentem, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃dénts, *h₃dónts.

Pronunciation

Noun

dent m ‎(plural dents)

1. (anatomy) tooth

Derived terms

• brînge à dents ‎(“toothbrush”)

Related terms

• denchive ‎(“gum”)

Old French

Etymology

From Latin dēns, dente

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dãnt/
• Rhymes: -ãnt

Noun

dent m ‎(oblique plural denz or dentz, nominative singular denz or dentz, nominative plural dent)

1. (anatomy, of a comb) tooth

Romansch

Alternative forms

• (Sutsilvan, Surmiran, Puter, Vallader) daint

Etymology

From Latin dēns, dentem, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃dénts, *h₃dónts.

Noun

dent m (plural dents)

1. (anatomy, Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan) tooth

Derived terms

• pasta da dents ‎(“toothpaste”)