Damn Meaning
/ˈdæm/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo condemn.
verbTo condemn; to declare guilty; to doom; to adjudge to punishment.
Sentence Examples
Damn! It's not bad!
I'd do any damn thing for you.
I don't care a damn what people think of me.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Many critics ____ the movie for its poor plot and acting.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
____! It's not bad!
Word Origin & History
From Middle English dampnen, from Old French damner, from Latin damnāre (“to condemn, inflict loss upon”), from damnum (“loss”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him."
— 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
"Lack of access to support services can damn children with disabilities and lesser means to lives where they never harness their full range of abilities."
— 2018 May 12, Stephanie Sinclair, “'What I Learned From Adopting Two Children With Rare Genetic Conditions'”, in Time, archived from the original on 05 Nov 2024:
"Homosexuality and suicide have some common characteristics. Both are damned by the Western Judeo-Christian culture as sins (although the latter has only been considered such since the sixth century)."
— 1976 February 14, David Brill, “Suicide”, in Gay Community News, volume 3, number 33, page 11:
"Where's that damn FOURTH Chaos Emerald!"
— 2005, Sonic Team, Sega Studios USA, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sega, PS2, GameCube, Xbox:
"We're begging, damn near down on our knees, and not getting one red cent."
— 1989 December 10, John Zeh, quoting Tony Allen, “AIDS Groups' Execs Arrested In D.C.”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 22, page 1:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Many critics ____ the movie for its poor plot and acting.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
____! It's not bad!