dagnab it
1
9.9
- idiom
- /ˈdæɡnæb ɪt/
- Archaic
:
¡maldita sea!
- He muttered 'dagnab it' when the car refused to start.
So I don't I'm not really like, oh, Dave, flab it, dagnab it.
- So I don't I'm not really like, oh, Dave, flab it, dagnab it.
Examples
-
Dagnab it, I dropped my phone in the parking lot!
-
I can't believe this happened, dagnab it!
-
Dagnab it, why does this always happen to me?
-
Dagnab it, why is this so complicated?
-
I spilled coffee on my shirt, dagnab it!
-
Dagnab it, I forgot my keys again!
-
That's just my luck, dagnab it, I missed the bus!
Synonyms
17
8.4
A short phrase people say when they feel frustrated or disappointed
15
8.4
A short angry cry people say when they feel annoyed or frustrated
7
9.5
A short spoken word people use to show mild annoyance or disappointment
4
9.9
A short informal word people say when they feel surprise, shock, or annoyance
1
9.9
A short phrase people say when they are annoyed
1
9.0
A short word people say to show mild anger, surprise, or frustration
A short word said to show mild surprise, annoyance, or frustration
A mild exclamation people say when they feel annoyed or disappointed
A short mild word people say when they are annoyed
A short angry word people say when they feel a little annoyed
An old-fashioned shout to show surprise or annoyance
Surface Forms
Morphology
dagnab + it
This expression is a minced oath/interjection where 'dagnab' is not a literal, compositional word and functions as a euphemistic substitute (e.g. for 'damn'), so its meaning cannot be derived from its parts. Knowing 'it' gives no clue to the exclamative sense, so a B1 learner who only knows the constituents would not reliably infer the expression means frustration or annoyance.
Etymology
Dagnab it began as a softer, joking way to say 'God damn it' without using God's name. People changed the sounds so the strong swear became dagnab it, and today the phrase is used to show 'frustration' or 'annoyance'.