damn English · revision 3414

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 13th century|origins=la damnum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dæm/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|dampnen]], [[bor|fro|dampner]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(AHD 2000) from [[la|damnāre|t=to condemn; to inflict loss upon]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) from [[m|la|damnum|t=damage, loss, fine]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) Barnhart and Klein relate damnum to Latin [[m|la|daps|t=sacrificial feast]] and Greek [[m|grc|δαπάνη|tr=dapánē|t=cost, expenditure]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) and Etymonline traces it to Proto-Italic *dapno-, possibly an ancient religious term, from [[ine-pro|*dap-|t=to apportion in exchange]] according to Watkins.^(Etymonline) The ''-p-'' of the Middle English spelling disappeared in the 16th century.^(Etymonline) The adjective and adverb are a clipping of [[damned]].^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ As a legal term, “to pronounce guilty, condemn”: before 1300^(OED 1989) or the late 13th century.^(Etymonline) Barnhart dates dampen “to condemn” to about 1280.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The legal sense had already developed in Latin.^(Etymonline) The theological sense, “to doom to eternal punishment”, is from about 1325^(OED 1989) or about 1300,^(Etymonline) and the sense “to condemn as bad” from about 1386.^(OED 1989) A play or book is damned by public disapproval from 1654,^(OED 1989) and Pope's ''damn with faint praise'' is borrowed, Weekley says, from the prologue to Wycherley's ''The Plain Dealer''.^(Weekley 1921)^(Etymonline) As an oath ''damn'' is recorded from the 16th century,^(Weekley 1921)^(Hoad 1986) as an interjection from 1589^(HTOED) and as a transitive verb “to curse” from 1608.^(HTOED) The noun, the utterance of the word, is from 1619,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) and ''not care a damn'' by 1760.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The clipped adjective and adverb are from 1775.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The word and its derivatives were generally avoided in print from the 18th century to the 1930s,^(Etymonline) and euphemisms such as ''darn'' and ''dang'' have been used since the 18th century.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 13th century – to condemn, as a legal term.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1325 – to doom to hell.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1386 – to condemn as bad.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1589 – interjection.^(HTOED)

+ * 1619 – the noun, an oath.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1654 – to damn a play.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1760 – ''not care a damn''.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1775 – adjective and adverb, short for ''damned''.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[condemn]] to everlasting punishment in [[hell]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To judge harshly or declare to be bad.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To bring about the ruin of.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To curse or swear at.^(AHD)^(HTOED)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Used to express anger, annoyance or disappointment.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The smallest amount, a [[jot]]: ''not worth a damn''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Adjective and adverb===

+ # ''(informal)'' Damned; very.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[damningly]]

+ * [[damner]]

+ * [[damnatory]]

+ * [[predamn]]

+ * [[damage]]

+ * [[damnation]]

+ * [[damned]]

+ * [[damnable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[condemn]]

+ * [[indemnity]]

+ * [[darn]]

+ * [[dang]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Weekley notes that in earlier French the English were called godons, “goddams”, from their habitual oath.^(Weekley 1921) In West Yorkshire dialect ''damn'' could mean “to hurt, disable”.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}