/ kənˈdem; NAmE / verb
EXPRESS DISAPPROVAL
1.
[ vn ] condemn sb/sth (for / as sth) to express very strong disapproval of sb/sth, usually for moral reasons :
The government issued a statement condemning the killings.
The editor of the newspaper was condemned as lacking integrity.
SB TO PUNISHMENT
2.
[ usually passive ] condemn sb (to sth) to say what sb's punishment will be
SYN sentence :
[ vn ]
He was condemned to death for murder and later hanged.
[ vn to inf ]
She was condemned to hang for killing her husband.
SB TO DIFFICULT SITUATION
3.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] condemn sb to sth to force sb to accept a difficult or unpleasant situation
SYN doom :
They were condemned to a life of hardship.
He was condemned to spend the rest of the football season on the bench.
STH DANGEROUS
4.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] condemn sth (as sth) to say officially that sth is not safe enough to be used :
a condemned building
The meat was condemned as unfit to eat.
SHOW GUILT
5.
[ vn ] to show or suggest that sb is guilty of sth :
She is condemned out of her own mouth (= her own words show that she is guilty) .
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in senses 2 and 3): from Old French condemner , from Latin condemnare , from con- (expressing intensive force) + damnare inflict loss on, from damnum loss, damage.