condemn

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to say strongly that something is wrong or that you disapprove of it

   World leaders condemned the attack.

2. 2
   verb

   to give someone a punishment in a court of law

   The judge condemned him to ten years in prison.

3. 3
   verb

   to officially declare a building unsafe to use

   The old factory was condemned by the inspector.

4. 4
   verb

   to force someone into an unpleasant situation they cannot escape

   Poverty condemned many children to a life without schooling.

Simplified etymology

Condemn entered English in the Middle English period and comes from the same Latin root as damn, Latin damnare, “to inflict loss on.” The older sense of damn, “to condemn,” reflects their close historical relationship.

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.

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