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.
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)
6.
to use the word “damn”; swear.
00:10
Damn
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is kibitz. Does it mean:
| chat, to converse |
| to run away hurriedly; flee. |
interjection
7.
(used as an expletive to express anger, annoyance, disgust, etc.)
noun
8.
the utterance of “damn” in swearing or for emphasis.
9.
something of negligible value: not worth a damn.
adjective
10.
damned ( defs 2, 3 ).
adverb
Idioms 11.
12.
13.
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.
14.
give a damn, Informal. to care; be concerned; consider as important: You shouldn't give a damn about their opinions. Also, give a darn.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English dam(p)nen < Old French dam(p)ner < Latin damnāre to condemn, derivative of damnum damage, fine, harm
1250–1300; Middle English dam(p)nen < Old French dam(p)ner < Latin damnāre to condemn, derivative of damnum damage, fine, harm
Related forms
damn·er, noun
pre·damn, verb (used with object)
Synonyms
2. berate, censure, denounce, disparage, blast.
2. berate, censure, denounce, disparage, blast.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To damn
Collins
World English Dictionary
damn (dæm) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —interj | |
| 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!) |
| —adj | |
| 3. | slang (prenominal) deserving damnation; detestable |
| —adv, —adj | |
| 4. | slang (intensifier): damn fool; a damn good pianist |
| —adv | |
| 5. | slang damn all absolutely nothing |
| —vb | |
| 6. | to condemn as bad, worthless, etc |
| 7. | to curse |
| 8. | to condemn to eternal damnation |
| 9. | (often passive) to doom to ruin; cause to fail: the venture was damned from the start |
| 10. | (also intr) to prove (someone) guilty: damning evidence |
| 11. | to swear (at) using the word damn |
| 12. | informal (Brit) as near as damn it as near as possible; very near |
| 13. | damn with faint praise to praise so unenthusiastically that the effect is condemnation |
| —n | |
| 14. | slang something of negligible value; jot (esp in the phrase not worth a damn) |
| 15. | informal not give a damn to be unconcerned; not care |
| [C13: from Old French dampner, from Latin damnāre to injure, condemn, from damnum loss, injury, penalty] | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
damn
late 13c., "to condemn," from O.Fr. damner, derivative of L. verb damnare, from noun damnum "damage, loss, hurt." Latin word evolved a legal meaning of "pronounce judgment upon." Theological sense is first recorded early 14c.; the optative expletive use likely is as old. Damn and its derivatives generally
were avoided in print from 18c. to c.1930s (the famous line in "Gone with the Wind" was a breakthrough and required much effort by the studio). To be not worth a damn is from 1817. Damn Yankee, characteristic Southern U.S. term for "Northerner," is attested from 1812.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
damn
In addition to the idioms beginning with damn, also see do one's damnedest; give a damn; not worth a dime (tinker's damn).
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Mostly they follow the notion of life as one damn thing after the other.
Idioms & Phrases
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