Meaning & use
dampcourse
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountableBritish
A layer of waterproof material built into a wall near the ground to stop moisture from rising.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a dampcourse' or 'dampcourses'.
Patterns
- install a dampcourse
- a dampcourse in a wall
The old house had no dampcourse, so the lower walls were always wet.
They inserted a new dampcourse to stop the rising damp.
A dampcourse is usually made of plastic or bitumen.
Word forms
| plural | dampcourses |
|---|
Common combinations
- rising damp
- Rising damp is a common problem in older buildings without a dampcourse.
- install a dampcourse
- The builders had to install a dampcourse before plastering the walls.
- dampcourse membrane
- A dampcourse membrane is laid along the base of the wall.
- lack of a dampcourse
- The lack of a dampcourse caused the wallpaper to peel.
Synonyms and how they differ
- damp-proof course
- The more formal British term; dampcourse is the shorter, everyday word.
Word family
Commonly confused: dampcourse or damp proofing?
dampcourse vs damp proofing
Damp proofing is the general process or material used to protect a building; a dampcourse is a specific layer within a wall.
Practice
The house was built without a ______, so damp rose up the walls.
Choose one answer.
The singular 'dampcourse' is needed after 'a'. 'Dampcourses' is plural and would not follow 'a'. The other options are not standard forms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dampcourse”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.