damn

[ dam ]

verb (used with object)

1. to declare (something) to be bad, unfit, invalid, or illegal.
2. to condemn as a failure:

   to damn a play.

   Synonyms: blast, disparage, denounce, censure, berate

3. to bring condemnation upon; ruin.
4. to doom to eternal punishment or condemn to hell.
5. to swear at or curse, using the word “damn”:

   Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!

verb (used without object)

1. to use the word “damn”; swear.

interjection

1. (used as an expletive to express anger, annoyance, disgust, etc.)

noun

1. the utterance of “damn” in swearing or for emphasis.
2. something of negligible value:

   not worth a damn.

adjective

1. damned ( defs 2, 3 ).

adverb

1. damned.

damn

/ dæm /

interjection

1. slang.
   an exclamation of annoyance (often in exclamatory phrases such as damn it! damn you! etc)
2. informal.
   an exclamation of surprise or pleasure (esp in the exclamatory phrase damn me! )

adjective

1. slang.
   prenominal deserving damnation; detestable

adverb

1. slang.
   (intensifier)

   damn fool

   a damn good pianist

adverb

1. damn all slang.
   absolutely nothing

verb

1. to condemn as bad, worthless, etc
2. to curse
3. to condemn to eternal damnation
4. often passive to doom to ruin; cause to fail

   the venture was damned from the start

5. also intr to prove (someone) guilty

   damning evidence

6. to swear (at) using the word damn
7. as near as damn it informal.
   as near as possible; very near
8. damn with faint praise
   to praise so unenthusiastically that the effect is condemnation

noun

1. slang.
   something of negligible value; jot (esp in the phrase not worth a damn )
2. not give a damn informal.
   to be unconcerned; not care

Other Words From

• damn·er noun
• pre·damn verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of damn¹

1250–1300; Middle English dam ( p ) nen < Old French dam ( p ) ner < Latin damnāre to condemn, derivative of damnum damage, fine, harm

Word History and Origins

Origin of damn¹

C13: from Old French dampner, from Latin damnāre to injure, condemn, from damnum loss, injury, penalty

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. damn well, Informal. damned ( def 7 ).
2. damn with faint praise, to praise so moderately as, in effect, to condemn:

   The critic damned the opera with faint praise when he termed the production adequate.

3. give a damn, Informal. to care; be concerned; consider as important: Also give a darn.

   You shouldn't give a damn about their opinions.

More idioms and phrases containing damn

• do one's damnedest
• give a damn
• not worth a dime (tinker's damn)

Example Sentences

Gore Vidal was correct when he damningly observed that the American people do not have a memory of the last week.

From Salon

Then again, as you noted, “The Eras Tour” is doing its damnedest to give movie theaters a badly needed shot of adrenaline.

From Los Angeles Times

I do my damnedest to play the part.

From Los Angeles Times

Perhaps even more damningly, he only started two games in the Champions League knockout stages and never played a single minute of a Clasico against Barcelona.

From BBC

And most damningly, when Trump learned that FBI agents wanted to talk to Michael, he told her, “You don’t know anything about the boxes.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• curse
• darn