darning

[dahr-ning]

noun

the act of a person or thing that darns.

the result produced.

articles darned or to be darned.

Origin of darning

First recorded in 1605–15; darn¹ + -ing¹

darn

[dahrn]

verb (used with object)

to mend, as torn clothing, with rows of stitches, sometimes by crossing and interweaving rows to span a gap.

noun

a darned place, as in a garment: an old sock full of darns.

Origin of darn

1590–1600; perhaps to be identified with Middle English dernen to keep secret, conceal, Old English (Anglian) dernan

Synonyms for darn

1. See mend.

darn

[dahrn]Informal.

adjective, adverb

darned.

verb (used with object)

to curse; damn: Darn that pesky fly!

Idioms

give a darn. damn(def 14).

Origin of darn

First recorded in 1775–85; see origin at darned

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for darning

doggone, dang, cripes, darnation, drat

Examples from the Web for darning

Contemporary Examples of darning

I saw Mitt Romney darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there, what does he care?
I Dreamed I Saw Mitt Romney Last Night, Alive as You and Me
Michael Tomasky
December 12, 2012
Around it are Michael Myers, darning his mask in preparation for the forthcoming Halloween 2.
Who Killed the Horror Film?
Tom Shone
March 13, 2009

Historical Examples of darning

Aunt has found out the slit, and poor I will be set to the darning to-morrow.
The Fairchild Family
Mary Martha Sherwood
He is at his darning; ay, with real wool and a real needle he is darning his socks.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, December 30, 1914
Various
Betty, why do you sit up at this hour of the night darning your stockings?
The New Pun Book
Thomas A. Brown and Thomas Joseph Carey
Jim's mother looked thoughtfully at the sock she was darning.
Still Jim
Honor Willsie Morrow
We shan't have to do any darning, but just embroidery in our cells and wax flowers.
Eyebright
Susan Coolidge

British Dictionary definitions for darning

darn

verb

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

noun

a patch of darned work on a garment

the process or act of darning

Derived Formsdarner, noundarning, noun

Word Origin for darn

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

darn

interjection, adjective, adverb, noun

a euphemistic word for damn (def. 1), damn (def. 2), damn (def. 4), damn (def. 4), damn (def. 15)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for darning

darn

"to mend" c.1600, perhaps from Middle French darner "mend," from darne "piece," from Breton darn "piece, fragment, part." Alternative etymology is from obsolete dern (see dern). Related: Darned; darning.

darn

interj.

tame curse word, 1781, American English euphemism for damn, said to have originated in New England when swearing was a punishable offense; if so, its spread was probably influenced by 'tarnal, short for Eternal, as in By the Eternal (God), favorite exclamation of Andrew Jackson, among others. Related: darned (past participle adjective, 1806); darndest (superlative, 1844).