confound it
4
9.9
- idiom
- Archaic
- "Confound it," cried Mr. Gawfler at last.
Examples
-
"Confound it, lad."
-
"Confound it, cat," he muttered.
Fiction book (1991) -
"Confound it, cat," he muttered.
Synonyms
∞
8.9
An angry or surprised question showing you do not believe something
∞
9.2
Shows strong anger, annoyance, or surprise in rude informal speech
200
9.7
A strong expression showing anger, surprise, or urgency
147
8.9
A short cry to show surprise, confusion, disbelief, or casual acceptance
43
9.9
A very rude phrase people say to show strong anger or annoyance
30
8.4
A short phrase people say when they feel frustrated or disappointed
21
8.4
A short angry cry people say when they feel annoyed or frustrated
21
9.9
People say a strong angry word when they feel very annoyed
2
9.9
An old-fashioned word people say to show disbelief or annoyance
1
9.2
A short mild word people say when they are annoyed
1
8.6
A mild word people use to show they are annoyed about something
1
9.0
A short word people say to show mild anger, surprise, or frustration
1
9.9
A short cry people say when they feel frustrated or annoyed
1
9.9
To say an old-fashioned rude word to show surprise or anger
1
9.9
An old mild word people say when they are annoyed
How Annoyed
Surface Forms
Morphology
confound + it
The exclamation 'confound it' does not literally follow from 'confound' (to perplex or confuse) + 'it' in a way a B1 learner would predict; its idiomatic use is a mild oath meaning 'damn it' based on an older sense of 'confound' (to damn or frustrate). The connection is metaphorical/extended and requires prior exposure to function as an interjection, so it is partly but not fully transparent.
Etymology
Confound it comes from the old use of confound meaning 'to ruin or mix up' when something went wrong. So people used it as a softer way to show anger, like saying 'damn it'.