I. damn 1 /dæm/ BrE AmE interjection not polite
1 . used when you are very annoyed or disappointed:
Damn! I’ve left my keys in the office.
2 . used when something is impressive or surprising:
Damn, she’s old.
II. damn 2 BrE AmE adverb [+ adjective/adverb] informal not polite
1 . used to emphasize a statement:
Everything was so damn expensive.
The band sounded pretty damn good.
I’ll damn well do as I please.
You know damn well what I’m talking about.
He damn near (=almost) drowned.
‘It isn’t easy.’ ‘Damn right, it’s not.’
2 . damn all especially British English nothing at all:
He knows damn all about cars.
III. damn 3 BrE AmE adjective [only before noun] spoken not polite
1 . used when you are angry or annoyed with someone or something:
Turn off the damn TV!
2 . used to emphasize something negative:
It’s a damn shame he left her.
3 . not a damn thing nothing at all:
There’s not a damn thing you can do about it.
4 . a damn sight more/better etc a lot more, a lot better etc:
He’s a damn sight tougher than you or me.
IV. damn 4 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: dampner , from Latin damnare , from damnum 'damage, loss' ]
1 . damn it/you etc! spoken not polite used when you are extremely angry or annoyed with someone or something:
Damn it, be careful with that!
Stop, damn you!
Damn that telephone!
2 . (I’ll be/I’m) damned if ... spoken not polite used to make a negative statement in a strong way:
‘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 . I’ll be damned spoken not polite used when you are surprised:
Well, I’ll be damned! I haven’t seen him for years!
4 . damn the consequences/expense/calories etc spoken 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.
5 . be damned to be given the punishment of going to ↑ hell after you die
6 . to state that something is very bad:
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 . damned if you do, damned if you don’t spoken used to say that whatever you say or do will be considered wrong
⇨ (as) near as damn it at ↑ near 1 (8)
V. damn 5 BrE AmE noun spoken not polite
1 . not give a damn (about somebody/something) to not care at all about someone or something:
I don’t give a damn about her.
2 . be not worth a damn to have no value at all:
Her promise isn’t worth a damn.