damn! excl.
an all-purpose profanity, used in a wide variety of contexts.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Life of Jonathan Wild (1784) II 193: He relaxed a little the terror of his countenance, and pausing a while, repeated the word, d--n! | |
 | Holt Co. Sentinel (MO) 13 Apr. 4/1: If any other man, quoth he, / Shall insolently say to me, You be damn! | |
| in Chronicles of Newgate 499: D---n seize you all. | |
| Trilby 105: The yawning public will walk by in procession and inspect, and say ‘damn!’. | |
| The Grand Babylon Hotel 111: ‘D – n!’ said Rocco. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | ‘All Gold Canyon’ Complete Short Stories (1993) II 1019: Secret pasture for prospectors and a resting-place for tired burros, by damn! | |
| The Hist. of Mr Polly (1946) 224: ‘Damn!’ said Mr. Polly. | |
| Bulldog Drummond 96: She distinctly heard an unmistakeable ‘Damn’. | |
| ‘Blackmailers Don’t Shoot’ in Red Wind (1946) 102: Landrey smiled vaguely, said: ‘Damn!’ in a soft voice. | |
| One Lonely Night 86: ‘Damn!’ The word exploded out of me. | |
| Weed (1998) 122: Hell, Ned Land thought. Damn. | |
| Shaft 53: Damn, but he was hungry. | |
| Observer Mag. 9 Jan. 13: ‘Damn!’ she said. |
In exclamations
(Irish) an excl. of affirmation.
| My Story 104: ‘Damn-but, you are right,’ said Johnny Brown. | |
| Come Day – Go Day (1984) 34: Hello, johnny! Dambut is it yourself? | |
| Fairytale on ‘Newry Folklore’ on A Newry Page 🌐 An’ dambut didn’t he see them go past, and over by the stone with the writtin on it, an’ them picking up wee stones and throwin them ahead as they walked an’ making a terrible lament. |
(US black) an excl. of surprise or annoyance.
| (con. 1950s) Night People 92: I remember the maid charging me $3.50 for pressing two suits. ‘Damn Sam!’ I said. |