damn

¹damn

verb \ˈdam\

damneddamn·ing \ˈda-miŋ\

Definition of DAMN

transitive verb

1

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

2

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

3

: to bring ruin on

4

: 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

Examples of DAMN

1. He damned them for their stupidity.
2. <damned the car for once again breaking down>
3. 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
4. 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
5. 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

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

Related Words: imprecate, maledict; criticize, reprove; admonish, chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach; blame, censure, reprehend, reprobate

Near Antonyms: bless, extol (also extoll), glorify, laud, magnify, praise; acclaim, applaud, commend, compliment, hail, salute

see all synonyms and antonyms

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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