 |
| Date: | 1200-1300 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | dampner, from Latin damnare, from damnum 'damage, loss' |
| |||||||||
damn4 [transitive]
1 used when you are extremely angry or annoyed with someone or something :
damn it/you etc!
spoken not polite• Damn it, be careful with that!
• Stop, damn you!
• Damn that telephone!
2 used to make a negative statement in a strong way :
(I'll be/I'm) damned if ...
spoken not polite• 'Where's Wally?' 'Damned if I know.' (=I don't know)
• I'll be damned if I can find my keys (=I can't find them).
• I'll be damned if I let him in the house (=I won't let him in).
3 used when you are surprised :
I'll be damned
spoken not polite• I'll be damned! I haven't seen him for years!
4 used to say that you are going to do something, even though it might have bad results : 
The time has come for me to speak out, and damn the consequences.
damn the consequences/expense/calories etc
spoken
The time has come for me to speak out, and damn the consequences.6 to state that something is very bad : The critics damned the play on the first night.
The critics damned the play on the first night. damn (somebody/something) with faint praise (=show that you think someone or something is not good by only praising them a little)
7 used to say that whatever you say or do will be considered wrong
