damn

[ dam ]
See synonyms for: damndamneddamnerdamnest on Thesaurus.com

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.

  1. to bring condemnation upon; ruin.

  2. to doom to eternal punishment or condemn to hell.

  3. 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.

adverb

Idioms about damn

  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.

  1. 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 of damn

1
1250–1300; Middle English dam(p)nen<Old French dam(p)ner<Latin damnāre to condemn, derivative of damnum damage, fine, harm

Other words for damn

Other words from damn

  • damner, noun
  • pre·damn, verb (used with object)

Words Nearby damn

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use damn in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for damn

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. (prenominal) slang deserving damnation; detestable

adverb, adjective(prenominal)
  1. slang (intensifier): damn fool; a damn good pianist

adverb
  1. damn all slang absolutely nothing

verb(mainly tr)
  1. to condemn as bad, worthless, etc

  2. to curse

  1. to condemn to eternal damnation

  2. (often passive) to doom to ruin; cause to fail: the venture was damned from the start

  3. (also intr) to prove (someone) guilty: damning evidence

  4. to swear (at) using the word damn

  5. as near as damn it British informal as near as possible; very near

  6. 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

Origin of damn

1
C13: from Old French dampner, from Latin damnāre to injure, condemn, from damnum loss, injury, penalty

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with damn

damn

In addition to the idioms beginning with damn

  • damned if I do, damned if I don't
  • damn well
  • damn with faint praise

also see:

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

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.