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¹damn

verb \ˈdam\

—used to show that you are angry or annoyed at a person, thing, or situation

—used to say in a forceful way that you do not care about something

: to send (someone) to hell as punishment after death

damneddamn·ing \ˈda-miŋ\

Full Definition of DAMN

transitive verb

: to condemn to a punishment or fate; especially : to condemn to hell

a : to condemn vigorously and often irascibly for some real or fancied fault or defect <damned the storm for their delay>

b : to condemn as a failure by public criticism

: to bring ruin on

: to swear at : curse —often used to express annoyance, disgust, or surprise <damn him, he should have been careful> <I'll be damned>

intransitive verb

: curse, swear

See damn defined for English-language learners

See damn defined for kids

Examples of DAMN

But it is functional talk for the purpose of conveying information, not, as often in the case of Waugh, for entertaining his audience, humdrum veracity be damned. —Robert Murray Davis, Commonweal, 5 June 2009
Congress demanded an immediate investigation and over the next year held dramatic hearings, launched a variety of inquests, and produced several pounds of reports that condemned FEMA. One report damned the agency as a dumping ground for political appointees … —Christopher Cooper & Robert Block, Disaster, 2006
No American war has been more roundly damned than the Mexican. Within months after its outbreak Whigs and abolitionists accused Polk of plotting the ambush on the Rio Grande and misrepresenting the facts in order to stampede the nation into a war of conquest … —Walter A. McDougall, Promised Land, Crusader State, 1997
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Origin of DAMN

Middle English dampnen, from Anglo-French dampner, from Latin damnare, from damnum damage, loss, fine

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to DAMN

Synonyms: curse

Antonyms: bless

Rhymes with DAMN

bam, cam, clam, cram, dam, drachm, dram, DRAM, flam, gam, gram, ham, Ham, jam, jamb, lam, lamb, ma'am, pram, ram, RAM, Sam, SAM, scam, scram, sham, slam, spam, tam, tram, wham, yam

²damn

noun \ˈdam\

: anything at all

Full Definition of DAMN

: the utterance of the word damn as a curse

: a minimum amount or degree (as of care or consideration) : the least bit <don't give a damn>

See damn defined for English-language learners

Origin of DAMN

(see ¹damn)

First Known Use: 1619

Related to DAMN

Synonyms: beans, bubkes (also bupkes or bupkus), continental, jot, darn (also durn), diddly [slang], diddly-squat [slang], doodley-squat (or doodly-squat), fig, ghost, hoot, iota, lick, modicum, rap, squat [slang], syllable, tittle, whit, whoop

³damn

adjective or adverb \ˈdam\

: very or extremely

Full Definition of DAMN

: damned <a damn nuisance> <ran damn fast>

— damn well

: beyond doubt or question : certainly <knew damn well what would happen>

See damn defined for English-language learners

Origin of DAMN

(see ¹damn)

First Known Use: 1775

DAMN Defined for Kids

¹damn

verb \ˈdam\

damneddamn·ing

Definition of DAMN for Kids

: to condemn to everlasting punishment especially in hell

: to declare to be bad or a failure

: to swear at : curse

²damn

adjective \ˈdamd\

Definition of DAMN for Kids

: very bad <the damn weather>

—used to make a statement more forceful <These bugs are a damned nuisance.> Hint:This word is considered impolite, and you may offend people by using it.