/kaw"feuhr dam', kof"euhr-/ , n.
1. a watertight enclosure placed or constructed in waterlogged soil or under water and pumped dry so that construction or repairs can proceed under normal conditions.
2. Naut. a sealed void between two bulkheads, as for insulation or as an extra barrier to the escape of liquids or vapors.
[ 1730-40; COFFER + DAM 1 ]