darn

¹

[dahrn]

adjective

1. darned.

verb (used with object)

1. to curse; damn.

   Darn that pesky fly!

darn

²

[dahrn]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to mend (torn clothing, especially of knitted fabric) with rows of stitches, sometimes by crossing and interweaving rows to span a gap.

   At the sound of my greeting, Grandma looked up and stopped darning the sock, holding her arms out for a hug.

noun

1. a darned place, as in a garment.

   That old sweater full of darns was one of my favorite things to put on after work.

darn

¹

/ dɑːn /

verb

1. to mend (a hole or a garment) with a series of crossing or interwoven stitches

noun

1. a patch of darned work on a garment

2. the process or act of darning

darn

²

/ dɑːn /

interjection

1. a euphemistic word for damn damn damn damn damn

Other Word Forms

• darner noun
• darning noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of darn¹

First recorded in 1775–85; darned

Origin of darn²

First recorded in 1590–1600; origin unknown

Word History and Origins

Origin of darn¹

C16: probably from French (Channel Islands dialect) darner; compare Welsh, Breton darn piece

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. give a darn. damn.

Synonym Study

See mend.

Example Sentences

“I want you to know something about me. I’m not going to say yes to every darn thing that everybody comes up to me with, including sometimes the unions,” Villaraigosa said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“But keen sense of humor. If he wanted to make a point or be heard, he could nail it with a comment. It was pretty darn funny.”

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All that, in turn, serves the larger message of the show, which is that the Millers aren’t sick monsters who hate America, because gosh — that Mrs. Stephen Miller just acts so darn normal.

Read more on Salon

And the darn thing is, it was supposed to all be so different.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The fact that only one in five women in urban areas report such crimes is pretty darn bad; that only two women in 100 do in rural areas is abysmal.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• dang 
• doggone