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damn Definition

damn (dam)

transitive verb damned, damn′·ing

    1. Obsolete to condemn as guilty
    2. to condemn to an unhappy fate; doom
    3. Theol. to condemn to endless punishment
  2. to condemn as bad or inferior: often used in the imperative as a curse
  3. to criticize adversely
  4. to cause the ruin of; make fail
  5. to swear at by saying “damn”

Etymology: ME damnen < OFr damner < L damnare, to condemn, fine < damnum, loss, injury, akin to Gr dapanē, cost < IE *depno-, sacrificial feast < base *dā(i)-, to part, divide > time, tatter

intransitive verb

to swear or curse; say “damn,” etc.

noun

the saying of “damn” as a curse

adjective, adverb

Informal damned

used to express anger, annoyance, disappointment, etc.

damn Idioms

damn with faint praise

to praise with so little enthusiasm as, in effect, to condemn

not give a damn

or not care a damn

Informal not care at all

not worth a damn

Informal worthless

damn Synonyms

damn

v.

  1. To consign to hell

    curse, accurse, confound, ban, doom, anathematize, proscribe, banish, read out of the church, excommunicate, fulminate against, declaim against, excoriate, condemn, sentence, convict, cast into hell, consign to the lower regions, torment, condemn to hell, condemn to eternal punishment, doom to perdition, thunder against, call down curses on the head of; curse with bell, book, and candle*; send to a warm climate*; see also condemn 1.

    Antonyms bless, forgive*, elevate. *

  2. To swear at

    curse, revile, imprecate, abuse; see curse 2.

  3. To disapprove strongly

    object to, complain of, condemn, attack; see censure, denounce. See syn. study at curse.

not give<strong> (<em>or</em> </strong>care<strong>) </strong>a damn*

not care, be indifferent, not be concerned; see neglect 1.

not worth a damn*

useless, unproductive, valueless; see useless 1, worthless 1.

damn Usage Examples

Object

  • indictment: These figures are a damning indictment of the fairness of our society today.
  • verdict: Have we all been victims of Trotskii's damning verdicts on Stalin?
  • critique: The book was a damning critique of the courts martial system and the unjust manner in which men had been treated.
  • criticism: The tribunal made damning criticisms of the way in which the Prison Service had handled the matter.
  • report: Vets who attended the event on behalf of APA have compiled a damning report.
  • evidence: Damning evidence There seemed to be a lot of evidence against Andrew.

Converse of object

  • give: Tuesday May 13, 2003 The Guardian Does anybody give a damn whether or not judges continue to dress up in red dressing gowns?
  • care: I have complained about it previously and other people have complained about it numerous time and you don't care a damn.

Adjective modifier

hot: Blond hair, striking bluey green eyes, hot damn!

Modifies a noun

  • fool: The conductor said, " Rogers, I believe you're a damn fool.
  • shame: And it's a damn shame, cause Parker is such a great writer!
  • sight: No matter how tough you think you are, they will be a damn sight tougher.
  • thing: Damn thing bring me some ' bad voodoo ' !
  • stuff: There now seems to be an establishment will for theater to thrive and a public apathy about seeing the damn stuff.
  • fine: A damn fine sounding record, that's what!

Modifying Another Word

  • pretty: Strong Poison When Mystery writer Harriet Vane is accused of the murder of her lover, the evidence seems pretty damning.
  • rather: It represents the inspectors ' rather damning findings, following research between August 1999 and January 2000.

Noun used with modifier

Preposition: with

praise: You know, that line about damning with faint praise?