tarnation

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“
An' he asks, weak-like Say, Bill, what in tarnation is a fox The company looked at Bill fixedly; not reproachfully, but fixedly.

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Definitions (4)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. noun The act of damning or the condition of being damned.
  2. interjection Used to express anger or annoyance.
  3. Regional Note
    The noun and interjection tarnation illustrate suffixation, the addition of a suffix to a word. Tarnation and darnation (the latter probably having come first) are both euphemistic forms of damnation. Tarnation seems to have been influenced by tarnal, another mild oath derived from (e)ternal! The Oxford English Dictionary cites late-18th-century examples of tarnation from New England, indicating that it has been part of American speech since colonial days.

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Examples (50)

  • What in tarnation was the kid doing out here alone? —  Janice Kay Johnson - The Family Next Door
  • Fact is, he scares just about everybody in town, and I imagine that's why Morgan suggested Ryan be the one to talk to Ezekiel Jones or Henry Stevens or whatever in tarnation his name is What did Morgan mean when he said that Marshal Ryan was staying dose to the doctor's house He's over at Doc Garrison's house, waiting to see if poor old Luke MacFarland is gonna up and die on him. —  Garwood, Julie - Rose 4 - One Red Rose
  • "What in tarnation are you two doing We're playing Genesis," I said. —  Magazine - Aeon Authors - 2006 - Issue 06 - Aeon Six
  • Now, what in tarnation are you going to be cooking for in that lodge? —  PW FULL RSS FEED
  • "What in 'tarnation is Janice doin' up in her room?" —  Janice Day at Poketown
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This word has been looked up 63 times.

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. tarn(al) + (damn)ation.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. A fusion of darnation, a minced form of damnation, with tarnal.
 

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/tɑrˈneɪʃən/
by American Heritage

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