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.

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. 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. informal,  as near as possible; very near

8. 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. informal,  to be unconcerned; not care

Other Word Forms

• damner noun
• predamn 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. give a damn, to care; be concerned; consider as important: Also give a darn.

   You shouldn't give a damn about their opinions.

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. damn well, damned.

More idioms and phrases containing damn

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

Example Sentences

The bandmates dressed in secondhand suits that made them look posh to some and, perhaps more damningly, refused to flatten their class identity into something easily legible.

From Los Angeles Times

If a young band can meet a grim moment like this, the Neighborhood Kids did their damnedest on Monday.

From Los Angeles Times

This is a comedy, yes, but not a satire: These are just five kids — sorry, adults — who are trying their damnedest, whether at the bank, with a hospital bill or even roasting a chicken.

From Los Angeles Times

He would instead do his damnedest to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency as a functional workplace, while “walking away from virtually every important climate policy on the books.”

From Salon

He scored 29 points in the fourth quarter, a post-season record that still stands despite future Warriors like Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant trying their damnedest to knock it down.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• curse 
• darn