This week’s theme
Minced oaths

This week’s words
gee-whiz
sacre bleu
tarnation
ballyhack
gorblimey

---

A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(tar-NAY-shuhn)

MEANING:

interjection: Used to express surprise, anger, irritation, annoyance, etc.
noun: Damnation; hell.
adjective: Damned.
adverb: Damnably.

ETYMOLOGY:

Alteration of darnation (influenced by tarnal) which itself is a euphemism for damnation, from Latin damnare (to condemn), from damnum (damage). Earliest documented use: 1790.

USAGE:

“Speaking of ignorance, what in tarnation is going on with the Miss USA pageant?”
Dianne Williamson; It’s Kind of a Wacky Li’l World; Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, Massachusetts); Jun 10, 2012.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: