Green’s Dictionary of Slang

a general term of dismissal and dislike.

1809		T. Creevey diary 13 Nov. in Maxwell Creevey Papers (1903) I 113: Te Duke of York's observations or information to Mrs. Clarke concerning the Royal family—his hatred of the Prince of Wales—his jokes about the Queen and the intrigues and accouchement of the Princess—all in the coarsest and most licentious language. What a damnable piece of work the examination of these Lords and Princes will be.
c.1813		‘Wellington’s Victory’ in Wellington’s Laurels 2: And oft the French frogs cry’d marbiau / They got such a D---able thrashing.
1828		Public Ledger & Dly Advertiser 16 Dec. 3/1: He cried out [...] ‘You too,’ to the mutes, ‘with your damnable faces’.
1833		Cobbett’s Wkly Political Reg. 12 Oct. 1/1: Emigration and ‘Cobbett’s Damnable Doctrine’.
1844		Northern Star (Leeds) 6 Apr. 4/6: Let every shop of workmen when petitioning for the rejection of the damnable atrocity, petition also for [...] the ten Hours Bill.
1850		Roscommon Messenger 2 Nov. 4/4: Irish civilization, which only erupts in an occasional retaliatory petty murder, is respectable alongsie of this downright, damnable and cold-blooded villainy.
1864		Dunfermline Press 3 Feb. 1/5: Dr Knight had been in the same class with Lord Byron [...] ‘He had the most damnable disposition’.
1872		Western Times 6 Aug. 5/5: Europe was at present ‘sunk and swallowed up in one abominable and damnable cess-pool of fetid lies’.
1886		M.E. Braddon Mohawks II 116: If I could believe, Herrick – but it is that damnable if which wrecks us.
1890		The Sporting Times 1 Feb. 1/1: Shockin’? I ca’ ’t fair damnable.
1903		J. Furphy Such is Life 171: Strictly honest, also, I think—only for his d---nable disposition.
1918		‘Sapper’ The Human Touch 9: Each little group obsessed, with that one damnable idea – Dear God! but it’s over; he’s going back again.
1921		A.A. Milne Dover Road in Three Plays (1922) Act I: Well, of all the damnable things to say —.
1934		D.L. Sayers The Nine Tailors (1984) 265: It’s a damnable business, the whole thing.
1938		X. Herbert Capricornia (1939) 173: She had that damnable habit of producing female children.
1999		Observer mag. 11 July 28: Buy a new damp-course for the damnable house.