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to dam up
01
obstruct with, or as if with, a dam
02
to hold back one's emotions, particularly anger or sadness, rather than openly acknowledging or dealing with them in a healthy manner
Examples
Despite feeling hurt, Tom dammed up his sadness and pretended everything was fine to avoid confrontation.
Instead of addressing his concerns directly, Mark often dammed up his anxiety, causing it to manifest in irritability and insomnia.
