damn

[dæm]

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An exclamation used when someone does or says something annoying, stupid, or frustrating. You might say "Damn it" when you spill coffee on your shirt.

The word "damn" can be a strong expression of disappointment or frustration. When someone makes a silly mistake, like tripping over their own feet, you might hear, "What the...? Damn it!" It's not just used for accidents - if someone does something really annoying, like cutting in front of you on the road, you could say, "Damn it, stop doing that!" You can also use it to express regret or disappointment. If your favorite sports team loses, you might exclaim, "Damn it, they should have won!"

How common is "damn"?

Word damn is considered uncommon in modern English.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.

Definitions

noun

The use of "damn" as a curse.
Example: He said a few damns and left.
A small, negligible quantity, being of little value; a whit or jot.
Example: The new hires aren't worth a damn.
The smallest amount of concern or consideration.
Example: I don't give a damn.

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verb

To condemn to hell.
Example: I damn you eternally, fiend!
To condemn; to declare guilty; to doom; to adjudge to punishment.
To put out of favor; to ruin; to label negatively.
Example: I’m afraid that if I speak out on this, I’ll be damned as a troublemaker.
To condemn as unfit, harmful, invalid, immoral or illegal.
To curse; put a curse upon.
Example: That man stole my wallet. Damn him!
To invoke damnation; to curse.