The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word PERISHING
I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
P
E
R
I
S
H
I
N
G
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Damn/freezing" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case damn/freezing = perishing.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PERISHING mean?
PERISHING verb- To decay and disappear; to waste away to nothing.
- To decay in such a way that it can't be used for its original purpose
- To die; to cease to live.
- To cause to perish.
- The act of something that perishes; decay or destruction.
- Extremely cold.
- Extreme; used of environmental or bodily conditions.