damn

English

Etymology

From Middle English dampnen, from Old French damner, from Latin damnāre (“to condemn, inflict loss upon”), from damnum (“loss”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /dæm/
Audio (US): (file)
(æ-tensing) IPA^(key): [dɛəm], [deəm], [dɛːm]
Homophone: dam
Rhymes: -æm

Verb

damn (third-person singular simple present damns, present participle damning, simple past and past participle damned)

(theology, transitive, intransitive) To condemn to hell.
The official position is that anyone who does this will be damned for all eternity.

Only God can damn.

I damn you eternally, fiend!
To condemn; to declare guilty; to doom; to adjudge to punishment.
Synonyms: convict, doom
- 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]:
  He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him.
To put out of favor; to ruin; to label negatively.
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.
Synonyms: anathematize, demonize, excoriate, vilify
- November 8, 1708, Alexander Pope, letter to Henry Cromwell
  You are not so arrant a critic as to damn them [the works of modern poets] […] without hearing.
(sometimes vulgar) To curse; put a curse upon.
Synonyms: comminate, execrate, imprecate

That man stole my wallet. Damn him!
(archaic) To invoke damnation; to curse.
Synonyms: ban, execrate, point the bone
- c. 1767-1774, Oliver Goldsmith, letter to Mrs. Bunbury
  […] while I inwardly damn.

Conjugation

Conjugation of damn

infinitive	(to) damn
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	damn	damned
2nd-person singular	damn, damnest^†	damned, damnedst^†
3rd-person singular	damns, damneth^†	damned
plural	damn	damned

subjunctive	damn	damned

imperative	damn	—

participles	damning	damned

^†Archaic or obsolete.

Translations

theology: to condemn to hell

Arabic: لَعَنَ (ar) (laʕana)
Armenian: անիծել (hy) (anicel)
Azerbaijani: lənətləmək
Basque: madarikatu
Belarusian: пракліна́ць impf (praklinácʹ), пракля́сці pf (prakljásci), кля́сці impf (kljásci)
Bulgarian: прокли́нам (bg) impf (proklínam), прокълна́ pf (prokǎlná), кълна́ (bg) impf (kǎlná)
Catalan: maleir (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 咒 (zh) (zhòu), 詛咒／诅咒 (zh) (zǔzhòu)
Czech: zatratit pf
Danish: fordømme, forbande (da)
Dutch: verdoemen (nl)
Esperanto: damni
Finnish: tuomita (kadotukseen)
French: condamner (fr), damner (fr)
German: verdammen (de), verfluchen (de)
Hindi: अभिशाप देना (abhiśāp denā)
Hungarian: pokolra ítél, kárhozatra ítél, kárhozatba küld
Icelandic: fordæma
Ido: damnar (io)
Italian: dannare (it)
Japanese: 地獄に落とす (じごくにおとす, jigoku ni otosu), 呪う (ja) (のろう, norou)
Korean: 저주하다 (jeojuhada)
Lithuanian: prakeikti
Macedonian: проко́лнува impf (prokólnuva), про́колне pf (prókolne)
Norwegian:
Bokmål: fordømme (no), forbanne (no)

Nynorsk: forbanne
Persian: لعنت کردن (la'nat kardan), نفرین کردن (fa) (nefrin kardan)
Polish: przeklinać (pl) impf, przekląć (pl) pf
Portuguese: amaldiçoar (pt), danar (pt), condenar (pt)
Romanian: condamna (ro), acuza (ro)
Russian: проклина́ть (ru) impf (proklinátʹ), прокля́сть (ru) pf (prokljástʹ), клясть (ru) impf (kljastʹ)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: про̀кле̄ти pf, у̀кле̄ти pf, кле̑тӣ impf

Roman: pròklēti (sh) pf, ùklēti (sh) pf, klȇtī (sh) impf
Slovak: preklínať impf, prekliať pf
Slovene: preklinjati (sl) impf
Spanish: maldecir (es), condenar (es)
Swedish: förbanna (sv), fördöma (sv)
Tajik: лаънат кардан (laʾnat kardan), нафрин кардан (nafrin kardan)
Thai: สาป (th) (sàap), แช่ง (th) (chɛ̂ng)
Turkish: lanetlemek (tr)
Ukrainian: проклина́ти impf (proklynáty), прокля́сти pf (prokljásty), кля́сти impf (kljásty)
Urdu: لعنت بھیجنا (la'nat bhejnā)
Uzbek: laʼnatlamoq (uz)
Vietnamese: nguyền rủa (vi), chửi rủa (vi)
Walloon: dåner (wa)

to put out of favor; to ruin; to label negatively

Bulgarian: осъ́ждам (bg) impf (osǎ́ždam), порица́вам (bg) impf (poricávam)
Finnish: tuomita (fi)
German: ächten (de), verschreien (de)
Hungarian: bélyegez (hu), megbélyegez (hu)
Italian: bollare (it)
Macedonian: осу́дува impf (osúduva), о́суди pf (ósudi)
Russian: осужда́ть (ru) impf (osuždátʹ), осуди́ть (ru) pf (osudítʹ), порица́ть (ru) impf (poricátʹ)

to condemn as unfit, harmful, invalid, immoral, or illegal

Esperanto: damni
Finnish: tuomita (fi)
French: damner (fr), réprouver (fr)
German: verteufeln (de)
Hungarian: elítél (hu), kárhoztat (hu)
Irish: feann
Italian: condannare (it)
Spanish: condenar (es), reprobar (es), anatematizar (es)

to put a curse upon

Arabic: لَعَنَ (ar) (laʕana)
Basque: madarikatu
Bulgarian: прокли́нам (bg) impf (proklínam), прокълна́ pf (prokǎlná), кълна́ (bg) impf (kǎlná)
Catalan: maleir (ca)
Estonian: needma
Finnish: kirota (fi)
German: verfluchen (de), verwünschen (de)
Hungarian: átkoz (hu), elátkoz (hu), megátkoz (hu)
Italian: maledire (it)
Macedonian: проко́лнува impf (prokólnuva), про́колне pf (prókolne)
Portuguese: amaldiçoar (pt)
Russian: проклина́ть (ru) impf (proklinátʹ), прокля́сть (ru) pf (prokljástʹ), клясть (ru) impf (kljastʹ)
Spanish: maldecir (es), imprecar (es), execrar (es)
Swedish: förbanna (sv)
Turkish: lanetlemek (tr)
Vietnamese: nguyền rủa (vi), nguyền (vi)

Adjective

damn (not comparable)

(sometimes vulgar) Generic intensifier. Fucking; bloody.
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:damned

Shut the damn door!

Damn freaks!

Damn psychos!

The whole damn building came down!

Damn cultists are psychotic.
- 2005, Sonic Team, Sega Studios USA, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sega, PS2, GameCube, Xbox:
  Where's that damn FOURTH Chaos Emerald!

Translations

generic intensifier

Belarusian: пракля́ты (prakljáty)
Bulgarian: проклет (bg) (proklet)
Catalan: maleït (ca)
Chinese:
Cantonese: 死 (yue) (sei²), 鬼 (gwai²)

Mandarin: 該死的／该死的 (zh) (gāisǐ de)
Czech: zatracený (cs), proklatý
Dutch: verdomd (nl), vervloekt (nl), verdraaid (nl)
Finnish: kirottu (fi), samperin, saamarin, pahuksen
French: foutu (fr), putain (fr)
German: verdammt (de), verflucht (de), verflixt (de)
Hungarian: átkozott (hu), nyavalyás (hu), rohadt (hu)
Indonesian: berengsek (id), sialan (id), bedebah (id), keparat (id)
Italian: maledetto (it) m, fottuto (it) m, cazzo (it) m
Japanese: 糞 (ja) (くそ, kuso)
Korean: 망할 (manghal)
Lithuanian: prakeiktas m, prakeikta f
Macedonian: про́клет (próklet)
Polish: cholerny (pl), przeklęty (pl)
Portuguese: maldito (pt), merda de, porra de (pt)
Romanian: naibii, blestemat de
Russian: прокля́тый (ru) (prokljátyj), про́клятый (ru) (prókljatyj), чёртов (ru) (čórtov), черто́вский (ru) (čertóvskij)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: проклет

Roman: proklet (sh)
Slovak: prekliaty
Slovene: preklet (sl)
Spanish: maldito (es), puto (es)
Swedish: förbannad (sv), sabla (sv), djävla (sv), fördömd (sv)
Turkish: kahrolasıca
Ukrainian: про́клятий (prókljatyj)
Vietnamese: vãi (vi)

Adverb

damn (not comparable)

(sometimes vulgar) Very; extremely.
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:extremely

That car was going damn fast!

How are you damn quick?

You must be so damn rapid.

It went currently damn identical.
- 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:
  We're begging, damn near down on our knees, and not getting one red cent.

Translations

awfully, extremely

Bulgarian: ужасно (bg) (užasno)
Catalan: malaïdament
Danish: pokkers (da), hulens, forbandet
Dutch: verschrikkelijk (nl), vreselijk (nl), verdomd (nl), verdraaid (nl)
Finnish: pahuksen, samperin, saamarin, jumalattoman
French: putain (fr)
German: schrecklich (de), verdammt (de), verflucht (de)
Hungarian: átkozottul (hu), rohadtul, piszkosul
Italian: maledettamente (it), dannatamente (it), fottutamente
Japanese: 糞 (ja) (くそ, kuso)
Macedonian: про́клето (prókleto)
Polish: cholernie (pl)
Portuguese: pra caralho (pt)
Russian: черто́вски (ru) (čertóvski)
Spanish: malditamente (es)
Swedish: förbannat (sv), djävligt (sv)
Vietnamese: vãi (vi)

Interjection

damn

(sometimes vulgar) Used to express anger, irritation, disappointment, annoyance, contempt or surprise, etc. See also dammit.
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:dammit

Translations

non-vulgar expression of contempt etc.

Arabic:
Hijazi Arabic: وَجَع (wajaʕ), عَمَى (ʕama)
Armenian: please add this translation if you can
Bulgarian: по дяволите (po djavolite), проклятие (bg) (prokljatie)
Catalan: cagondena, ostres (ca), hòstia (ca), collons (ca)
Chinese:
Cantonese: 死 (yue) (sei²), 弊 (bai⁶), 頂／顶 (ding²)

Mandarin: 糟糕 (zh) (zāogāo), 該死／该死 (zh) (gāisǐ), 你妹 (nǐmèi)
Danish: pokkers (da), sørens (da), hulens
Dutch: verdomme (nl)
Esperanto: damne (eo)
Finnish: pahus (fi), hitto (fi), samperi (fi), saamari (fi)
French: mince (fr), purée (fr), zut (fr)
Galician: mal raxo (dated), maldita sexa, arre demo
Georgian: ჯანდაბა (ǯandaba)
German: verdammt (de), Mist (de)
Hungarian: a fenébe (hu), a francba, a fene egye meg
Indonesian: sialan (id), kampret (id), brengsek (id), jancuk (id)
Italian: accidenti (it), dannazione (it), cribbio (it), cavolo (it), mannaggia (it)
Japanese: ^{(please verify)} しまった! (shimatta!), ^{(please verify)} くそ (ja) (kuso) (lit. shit), ^{(please verify)} 畜生！ (ja) (ちくしょう！, chikushō!), ^{(please verify)} チェ！ (che!)
Khmer: ឈឺក្បាលវិលមុខ (cʰɨɨ kbaal vɨl muk)
Korean: 망할 (manghal)
Lithuanian: velnias m
Macedonian: по ѓаво́лите (po ǵavólite), про́клетство (prókletstvo)
Malay: hampas (ms)
Manchu: ᠸᠠᠪᡠᡵᡠ (waburu)
Maori: āhahā, aeha
Mongolian: пизда! (pizda!)
Persian: لعنتی (fa) (la'nati)
Polish: cholera (pl)!, do diabła (pl)!, psiakrew (pl)!, kurde (pl) m, psiamać (pl) f, kuźwa (pl) f (expressive), do pioruna, holender (pl) m, kurna chata (pl), do licha (pl)
Portuguese: porcaria (pt), maldição (pt), droga (pt), poça (pt), meleca (pt), lasqueira (pt), pindarolas, chiça (pt)
Romanian: drace, mamă (ro)
Russian: чёрт (ru) (čort, literally “devil”), чёрт побери́ (čort poberí), прокля́тие (ru) n (prokljátije), блин (ru) (blin)
Serbo-Croatian: kvragu (literally “to the devil”)
Sicilian: i riàntini, mannaja (scn), marvaja, avaja (scn)
Spanish: maldición (es), maldita sea, diablos (es), rayos (es), changos (es), caramba (es)
Swedish: fan (sv)
Thai: ห่าเอ้ย
Turkish: lanet olsun
Vietnamese: á đù (vi)

Noun

damn (plural damns)

(sometimes vulgar) The word "damn" employed as a curse.
He said a few damns and left.
(sometimes vulgar, chiefly in the negative) A small, negligible quantity, being of little value; a whit or jot.
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:modicum

The new hires aren't worth a damn.
(sometimes vulgar, chiefly in the negative) The smallest amount of concern or consideration.
I don't give a damn.

Translations

use of damn as a swear word

Albanian: mallkoj (sq)
Belarusian: пра́клён (prákljon)
Bulgarian: проклятие (bg) n (prokljatie)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 糟糕 (zh) (zāogāo), 該死／该死 (zh) (gāisǐ), 哎呀 (zh) (āiyā), 咳 (zh) (hāi)
Czech: sakra (cs)
Dutch: verdomme (nl)
Finnish: hitto (fi)
French: merde (fr), putain (fr)
German: Verwünschung (de) f, Fluch (de) m
Hindi: कोसना (hi) (kosnā)
Italian: maledizione (it) f
Japanese: ^{(please verify)} しまった (shimatta), ^{(please verify)} 糞 (ja), ^{(please verify)} くそ (ja) (kuso) (lit. shit), ^{(please verify)} 最低の (saitei no)
Lithuanian: prakeikimas m
Macedonian: да ти е́бам! (da ti ébam!), про́клетство! (prókletstvo!)
Portuguese: porcaria (pt) f, maldição (pt) f
Romanian: (profane) la naiba!
Russian: чёрт (ru) (čort, literally “devil”), чёрт побери́ (čort poberí), прокля́тие (ru) n (prokljátije), чёрт возьми́ (čort vozʹmí)
Spanish: maldito (es)

a small, negligible quantity, being of little value

German: Fliegenschiss (de) m, Furz (de) m
Italian: accidente (it) f
Swedish: jota (sv) n, dugg (sv) n

the smallest amount of concern or consideration

Galician: comiño (gl) m, pito (gl) m
German: Mindeste n, Geringste n
Italian: (un) tubo (it) m

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Esperanto: (4) ^{(please verify)} fidiri
Ido: ^{(please verify)} damnar (io)
Japanese: ^{(please verify)} 呪う (ja) (のろう, norou)
Spanish: ^{(please verify)} maldecir (es), ^{(please verify)} blasfemar (es)

Derived terms

Anagrams

d-man, Mand, NDMA, NMDA, nam'd, mand, MDNA, mDNA