damn
UK: dæm | US: dæm
vt. to condemn or declare as bad or evil
vt. (theology) to assign to eternal punishment
adj./adv. (informal) used for emphasis (e.g., "damn good")
interj. an exclamation of anger or frustration
The word "damn" traces back to Latin damnāre ("to condemn, inflict loss"), derived from damnum ("loss, harm"). It entered English via Old French damner in the 12th century, initially with strong theological connotations (divine punishment). Over time, it secularized into general condemnation and later became a versatile informal intensifier or expletive. The spelling preserved the Latin root damn- without fragmentation.
The critic damned the film with faint praise.
"Damn it!" he shouted when he dropped his phone.
She gave a damn good performance at the concert.
In medieval theology, sinners could be damned to hell.
I don’t give a damn about their excuses.