condemn
verbCA, US, UK /kənˈdɛm/ · /kənˈdɪm/
Etymology From Middle English condempnen, from Old French condamner, from Latin condemnāre (“to sentence, condemn, blame”), from com- + damnāre (“to harm, condemn, damn”), from damnum (“damage, injury, loss”). Displaced native Middle English fordemen (from Old English fordeman (“condemn, sentence, doom”) > Modern English fordeem.
12 senses
- 1To strongly criticise or denounce; to excoriate.
- 2To judicially pronounce (someone) guilty.
- 3To judicially announce a verdict upon a finding of…
- 4To confer eternal divine punishment upon.
- 5To destine to experience bad circumstances; to doom.
- 6To declare something to be unfit for use, or further use.
- 7To adjudge (a building) as being unfit for habitation.
- 8To adjudge (building or construction work) as of…
- 9To adjudge (food or drink) as being unfit for human consumption.
- 10To declare (a vessel) to be unfit for service.
- 11To determine and declare (property) to be assigned to…
- 12To declare (a vessel) to be forfeited to the government…
To strongly criticise or denounce; to excoriate.
- The president condemned the terrorists.
- Ignorant and ſuperſtitious wretches meaſure the actions of letterd and philoſophical men by the tattle of their nurſes or illiterate parents and companions, or by the faſhion of the country : and people of differing religions judge and condemn each other by their own tenents ; when both of them cannot be in the right, and it is well if either of them are.1722, William Wollaston, “Sect. V. Truths relating to the Deity. Of his exiſtence, perfection, providence, &c.”, in The Religion of Nature Delineated, page 81:
To judicially pronounce (someone) guilty.
To judicially announce a verdict upon a finding of guilt; To sentence
- The judge condemned him to death.
- She was condemned to life in prison.
To confer eternal divine punishment upon.
Figuratively To destine to experience bad circumstances; to doom.
- Too many people are condemned to a life of poverty.
To declare something to be unfit for use, or further use.
- There was a massive slaughter of W.R. steam power at the conclusion of the summer timetable. In all, 169 locomotives were condemned.1962 December, “Motive Power Miscellany: Western Region”, in Modern Railways, page 425:
To adjudge (a building) as being unfit for habitation.
- The house was condemned after it was badly damaged by fire.
To adjudge (building or construction work) as of unsatisfactory quality, requiring the work to be redone.
To adjudge (food or drink) as being unfit for human consumption.
Law To declare (a vessel) to be unfit for service.
To determine and declare (property) to be assigned to public use. See eminent domain.
Law To declare (a vessel) to be forfeited to the government or to be a prize.
- Derived terms
- condemnee, condemner, condemn to, forecondemn, precondemn, recondemn, uncondemn
- Related terms
- condemnable, condemnation