Meaning

noun a barrier constructed to contain the flow of water or to keep out the sea

verb obstruct with, or as if with, a dam

noun a metric unit of length equal to ten meters

originFrom Hindi दाम (dām), from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀤𑀫𑁆𑀫 (damma, “coin”), from Sanskrit द्रम्म (drammá), from Ancient Greek δραχμή (drakhmḗ). Doublet of drachm, drachma, and dram. Alternatively said to be possibly coined from the English phrase "I don't give a dam(n)," referring to its small worth.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0