darn

Use darn in a sentence

A woman darns a sock.

interjection

Darn is defined as a way to show disappointment or dismay, as a more proper version of the word "damn."
When you slam your finger with a hammer but you do not want to shout a swear word, this is an example of a time when you would shout "darn!"

verb

To darn is defined as to fix a hole in cloth by weaving a patch across the hole.
When you use thread to weave a patch a hole in a sock, this is an example of a time when you darn the sock.

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MLA Style

"darn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Darn>.

APA Style

darn. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Darn

darn

to mend (cloth) or repair (a hole or tear in cloth) by sewing a network of stitches across the gap

Origin of darn

from Middle French dialect, dialectal darner, to piece together, mend from Breton darn, a piece from Indo-European base an unverified form der-, to pull off, split apart from source tear

a darned place in fabric

Informal damn (the curse)

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"darn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Darn>.

APA Style

darn. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Darn

darn

verb

darned, darn·ing, darns

verb

transitive

To mend (a garment, for example) by weaving thread or yarn across a gap or hole.

verb

intransitive

To repair a hole, as in a garment, by weaving thread or yarn across it.

noun

A hole repaired by weaving thread or yarn across it: a sock full of darns.

Origin of darn

French dialectal darner perhaps from Norman French darne piece from Breton darn

interjection

Used to express dissatisfaction or annoyance.

adverb

adjective

Damn.

transitive verb

darned, darn·ing, darns

To damn.

Origin of darn

Alteration of damn

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"darn." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 22 February 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Darn>.

APA Style

darn. (n.d.). Retrieved February 22nd, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Darn

Adjective

(not comparable)

(euphemistic) Damn.

Adverb

(not comparable)

(degree, euphemistic) Damned.

Interjection

(euphemistic) Damn.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present darns, present participle darning, simple past and past participle darned)

Euphemism of damn.

Origin

Alteration of damn

Verb

(third-person singular simple present darns, present participle darning, simple past and past participle darned)

(sewing) To repair by stitching with thread or yarn, particularly by using a needle to construct a weave across a damaged area of fabric.
I need to darn these socks again.

Related terms

darning needle

Noun

(plural darns)

A place mended by darning.

Origin

From Middle English dernen (“to keep secret, hide, conceal (a hole)”), from Old English diernan (“to hide, conceal”), from dierne (“secret”), from Proto-Germanic *darnijaz (“secret”). More at dern.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.