give a damn

verb (used with object)

1. to declare (something) to be bad, unfit, invalid, or illegal.
2. to condemn as a failure: to damn a play.
3. to bring condemnation upon; ruin.
4. to doom to eternal punishment or condemn to hell.
5. to swear at or curse, using the word “damn”: Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!

verb (used without object)

6. to use the word “damn”; swear.

interjection

7. (used as an expletive to express anger, annoyance, disgust, etc.)

noun

8. the utterance of “damn” in swearing or for emphasis.
9. something of negligible value: not worth a damn.

adjective

10. damned(defs 2, 3).

adverb

11. damned.

Idioms

12. damn well, Informal. damned(def 7).
13. damn with faint praise, to praise so moderately as, in effect, to condemn: The critic damned the opera with faint praise when he termed the production adequate.
14. give a damn, Informal. to care; be concerned; consider as important: You shouldn’t give a damn about their opinions.Also give a darn.

interjection

1. slang an exclamation of annoyance (often in exclamatory phrases such as damn it! damn you! etc)
2. informal an exclamation of surprise or pleasure (esp in the exclamatory phrase damn me!)

adjective

3. (prenominal) slang deserving damnation; detestable

adverb, adjective (prenominal)

4. slang (intensifier)damn fool; a damn good pianist

adverb

5. damn all slang absolutely nothing

verb (mainly tr)

6. to condemn as bad, worthless, etc
7. to curse
8. to condemn to eternal damnation
9. (often passive) to doom to ruin; cause to failthe venture was damned from the start
10. (also intr) to prove (someone) guiltydamning evidence
11. to swear (at) using the word damn
12. as near as damn it British informal as near as possible; very near
13. damn with faint praise to praise so unenthusiastically that the effect is condemnation

noun

14. slang something of negligible value; jot (esp in the phrase not worth a damn)
15. not give a damn informal to be unconcerned; not care

v.

late 13c., “to condemn,” from Old French damner “damn, condemn; convict, blame; injure,” derivative of Latin damnare “to adjudge guilty; to doom; to condemn, blame, reject,” from noun damnum “damage, hurt, harm; loss, injury; a fine, penalty,” possibly from an ancient religious term from PIE *dap- “to apportion in exchange” [see Watkins]. The Latin word evolved a legal meaning of “pronounce judgment upon.” Theological sense is first recorded early 14c.; the optative expletive use likely is as old.

Damn and its derivatives generally were avoided in print from 18c. to c.1930s (the famous line in the film version of “Gone with the Wind” was a breakthrough and required much effort by the studio). The noun is recorded from 1610s; to be not worth a damn is from 1817. The adjective is 1775, short for damned; Damn Yankee, characteristic Southern U.S. term for “Northerner,” is attested from 1812. Related: Damning.

see not give a damn.

In addition to the idioms beginning with damn

• damned if I do, damned if I don’t
• damn well
• damn with faint praise

also see:

• do one’s damnedest
• give a damn
• not worth a dime (tinker’s damn)