darn
darn — verb
- darnpresent simple I / you / we / they
- darnshe / she / it
- darnedpast simple
- darning-ing form
1. to fix a torn or worn area of fabric by weaving thread across the damaged spot u
to fix a torn or worn area of fabric by weaving thread across the damaged spot using a needle, creating a new mesh of threads to close the gap.
Bao darned the elbow of his sweater where the fabric had worn thin.
past tense + direct object (worn area of clothing)
Ritu's grandmother used a wooden darning egg to fix the hole in the sock.
collocation: darning egg
Folake carefully darned the small tear in the cotton bedsheet.
Tamás learned to darn his own shirts in the tailoring workshop at school.
文法句型
darn + noun (the hole, a sock, a tear)
用法筆記
The direct object is usually an item of clothing (sock, sweater, shirt) or the damaged area itself (hole, tear, worn spot). Darning is a traditional mending skill that has become less common with fast fashion.
常見錯誤
2. to say the word 'darn' as a soft substitute for 'damn' when you feel angry, anno
to say the word 'darn' as a soft substitute for 'damn' when you feel angry, annoyed, or mildly frustrated about something.
Wei muttered 'darn' when he spilled coffee on his clean shirt.
verb used intransitively — not followed by an object
Beatriz said 'darn it' after dropping her phone on the tile floor.
idiomatic phrase: 'darn it'
Saira always says 'darn' instead of harsher swear words around children.
Omar muttered 'darn' under his breath when the computer crashed before he saved the file.
文法句型
darn (intransitive)
darn + it
用法筆記
This sense is always informal and spoken. The word 'darn' is considered very mild — it does not offend most people and is often used intentionally to avoid stronger swear words.
常見錯誤
darn — noun
- darnsingular
- darnsplural
1. the woven repair on a garment where thread has been worked across a hole to clos
the woven repair on a garment where thread has been worked across a hole to close the damaged area.
The darn on Tamás's jeans was visible if you looked closely.
article + 'darn' + location (on)
Ritu ran her finger over the neat darn on the tablecloth and smiled.
adjective before 'darn' to describe the quality
I could see a small darn where the moth hole had been in the sweater.
Beatriz examined the darn on the elbow of her wool coat before heading out.
文法句型
a/the darn + (in/on a garment)
用法筆記
Often used with adjectives describing the appearance or quality of the repair: 'neat darn', 'visible darn', 'tiny darn'. The noun is countable and typically used in singular form.
常見錯誤
2. the smallest possible amount — used in negative expressions to mean 'nothing at
the smallest possible amount — used in negative expressions to mean 'nothing at all' or 'not at all', as a mild substitute for 'damn'.
I do not give a darn what the neighbours think of our garden.
fixed phrase: 'not give a darn' + question word clause
That old chair is not worth a darn now that the leg is broken.
fixed phrase: 'not worth a darn'
Bao does not care a darn about winning the baking competition.
The hotel manager did not give a darn about our complaint.
文法句型
not give a darn (about)
not care a darn (about)
not worth a darn
用法筆記
Almost always appears in negative sentences or rhetorical questions. The three common patterns are 'not give a darn', 'not care a darn', and 'not worth a darn'. The expression is informal but not offensive.
常見錯誤
darn — exclamation
1. a soft expression used when you feel annoyed, frustrated, or mildly upset about
a soft expression used when you feel annoyed, frustrated, or mildly upset about something that has just gone wrong.
Darn! Iris realized she had left her keys locked inside the car.
standalone exclamation at start of sentence
Darn it! The cake burned while I answered the phone call.
fixed phrase: 'Darn it!'
Oh darn, Folake forgot to buy eggs on her way home from work.
Saira stubbed her toe on the chair and whispered 'darn' quietly.
文法句型
Darn!
Oh, darn!
Darn it!
用法筆記
This is one of the mildest expressions of frustration in English — acceptable in schools, workplaces, and around children. It can stand alone ('Darn!') or combine with 'it' ('Darn it!') or 'oh' ('Oh, darn!') with no difference in meaning.
常見錯誤
darn — adjective
- darnpositive
- darnercomparative
- darnestsuperlative
1. used before a noun to add emotional emphasis, usually showing irritation or anno
used before a noun to add emotional emphasis, usually showing irritation or annoyance with the person or thing named.
That darn cat keeps jumping onto the kitchen counter every morning.
pattern: 'that darn + noun' showing annoyance
I cannot get this darn window to slide open no matter how hard I try.
Where did Eitan put his darn reading glasses this time?
The darn printer always runs out of ink right before a deadline.
- damned
stronger version; considered offensive in formal contexts
- blessed
similar emphatic use but expresses exasperation rather than anger
- confounded
dated; expresses the same mild irritation
文法句型
darn + noun
用法筆記
Always placed directly before the noun it modifies (attributive only — never 'the cat is darn'). The emotion is usually mild annoyance, but it can also express grudging admiration in some contexts ('that darn cute puppy').
常見錯誤
darn — adverb
1. used before an adjective or adverb to strengthen the quality being described, si
used before an adjective or adverb to strengthen the quality being described, similar in meaning to 'very' but more informal and emotional.
Eitan did a darn good job painting the fence over the weekend.
darn + adjective (good) before a noun phrase
That was a darn fine meal Iris prepared for the guests last night.
Wei plays the guitar darn well for someone who only started last year.
The view from the top of the hill was darn beautiful in the morning light.
文法句型
darn + adjective
darn + adverb
用法筆記
Can intensify both positive ('darn good', 'darn nice') and negative ('darn hard', 'darn expensive') qualities. Unlike 'very', 'darn' adds an emotional layer of emphasis and is limited to spoken or informal written English.