Talk:damn

Stopping
Is there any merit to the Christian concept that "to damn" means effectively the same as "to dam," meaning "to stop" or "to cause a cessation of progress within." I think it should probably be a third definition, since people do say "that damned my chances of getting that job," etc.  mrcolj

As you mentioned, to "dam" is to stop and to "damn" would be to condemn. Since they're two different words, I'm not sure why a third entry is necessary. --Kmplsv 23:12, 18 October 2010 (UTC)

'Profane'
Won't it be simpler at least to change all appearances of 'profane' to 'blasphemous'. Kayau 12:18, 3 December 2010 (UTC)


 * "Profane" doesn't make the same kind of religious judgement; I think it's more neutral. Equinox ◑ 12:23, 3 December 2010 (UTC)


 * But saying 'damn' isn't actually offensive, but the word 'profane' seems to give the idea that it is. OTOH, 'blasphemous' seems to be more appropriate because, well it is. I don't see why it is not neutral though. Kayau 08:13, 5 December 2010 (UTC)

Damn!
what about when you use the word damn by itself like when you are looking at the opposite sex and you say, "damn" nodding your head up and down in approval?
 * I think that's just the Adjective, it's hard to talk when lost for words though — eh?.
 * Actually, wouldn't that be an interjection? The given example seems more comparable to "wow" in my opinion. --76.120.46.145 13:15, 21 April 2012 (UTC)
 * Yep, interjection. Equinox ◑ 13:25, 21 April 2012 (UTC)

Job description
And one who damns is a damner, or damnist? EXAMPLE "Have you accepted Ceiling Cat as your Lady and Damner?" Satire pun can not be done correctly without correct ending; or there is one, and I just suck at my own language? 108.23.140.221 02:03, 12 June 2013 (UTC)

Merge meaning 3 into meaning 2 for noun?
In the noun section – isn’t the third meaning "the smallest amount of concern or consideration" just a special case of the second meaning "a small, negligible quantity, being of little value"? Both cases indicate a small amount (and even that small amount isn’t achieved in the examples) but if it’s an amount of value or of concern/consideration is decided by the rest of the sentence.

Would there be any problem deleting meaning 3 (the smallest amount of concern or consideration) and adding its example sentence "I don’t give a damn." to meaning 2 (a small, negligible quantity, being of little value)? /Elias Mossholm (talk) 23:10, 23 December 2014 (UTC)

RFC discussion: November 2009–February 2015
Reason explained in the rfc-box in the entry. --Hekaheka 02:41, 22 November 2009 (UTC)


 * Intensifier isn't a part of speech. Some intensifiers are adjectives, some adverbs, some both. The class of adverbial intensifiers include some for which the term "intensifier" is a misnomer, eg. "quite", "rather", "barely". The term "degree adverb" includes intensifying adverbs and those other grammatically similar non-intensifying adverbs.
 * Although I would greatly like to remove items from Interjections, "damn" seems to be used as an interjection. It is also sometimes used as a noun: "a tinker's damn", "Not that I care three damns what figure I may cut" (Goldsmith). DCDuring TALK 03:33, 22 November 2009 (UTC)


 * This entry seems clean now. If more remains to be done, start a new RFC. - -sche (discuss) 03:41, 13 February 2015 (UTC)

RFC discussion: July 2013–August 2017
Tagged but not listed. Reason given is "(1) Are the adjective and adverb uses really different, or are they both actually "generic intensifiers"? (2) The noun use: curse or swear word. Is that the same or different as the use as interjection?

In my opinion there is nothing wrong with the entry and the tag should be removed. Spinning Spark  17:44, 1 July 2013 (UTC)


 * Looks good now --New WT User Girl (talk) 10:32, 27 August 2017 (UTC)

damn with faint praise
What's the meaning used in damn with faint praise? --Backinstadiums (talk) 11:27, 7 October 2020 (UTC)

damning adjective /ˈdæmnɪŋ/
The Longman Pronunciation Dictionary accepts a secondary /ˈdæmnɪŋ/ for the form damning (unlike for say condemn. Might the latter be the one used for the adjectival use, similarly to the appearance of /n/ in say damnable? --Backinstadiums (talk) 19:31, 7 October 2020 (UTC)