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I'll be damned

idiom

Definition of I'll be damned

informal + impolite
1 —used to show that one is very surprised about something
  • Well I'll be damned! Our team actually won!
 —often + if
  • I spent an hour putting the machine together and I'll be damned if it didn't fall apart as soon as I tried to use it.
 —sometimes shortened to damned if
  • I told them they wouldn't enjoy the trip but damned if they didn't come anyway.
2 —used to say that one cannot or will not do something —+ if
  • I'll be damned if I can remember where I left my keys.
  • I'll be damned if I'm going to eat any more of that disgusting food.

Word by Word Definitions

i play

  1. : the 9th letter of the English alphabet

  2. : a graphic representation of this letter

  3. : a speech counterpart of orthographic i

  1. imaginary unit

  1. : the one who is speaking or writing — compare me, mine, my, we

  1. : someone aware of possessing a personal individuality : self

  1. iodine

  1. used as a connective vowel to join word elements especially of Latin origin

See the full definition of i
damned play

  1. : damnable

  2. : complete, utter

  3. : extraordinary

  1. : extremely, very

See the full definition of damned

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