durned
1
9.4
- adjective
- /ˈdɜrnəd/
- Informal
:
maldito
- I can't believe those durned kids made such a mess again!
Examples
-
I had dreams, nightmares really, of boys going home at the holidays and teaching it to their friends, and in this way the detestable game—and my disgrace—spreading to every durned school in England.
Fiction book (1996) -
Why do I always forget that durned password?
-
I know it ain't no durned bank holiday!
Fiction book (2001) -
Those durned Ri-iga types leave no room.
Fiction book (1998) -
"Come on, you gol-durned piece of junk!"
Fiction book (1996) -
Every time I try to relax, that durned noise starts up again.
Synonyms
300
5.6
Said to make something sound very strong
27
7.4
An informal word that makes a feeling stronger, for example very tired
9
9.9
Adds strong anger or surprise to what you say
5
8.6
Put before a word to show mild annoyance or strong feeling
1
8.6
A mild word people use to show they are annoyed about something
1
9.0
Used before a word to show mild anger or surprise
1
9.9
A word people say before an adjective to show strong annoyance or emphasis
Feeling a little angry or annoyed about something
People say this to show annoyance or strong feeling
Showing mild anger about a person or thing
Often comes before a word to show anger or surprise
Very bad and annoying
How Emphatic
Surface Forms
Morphology
durned = durn (opaque) = durn + ed
The form is built from 'durn' + '-ed', but the mild expletive/intensifying meaning is lexicalized and not predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Durned is a softened form of damned and is like darned, used to add force or show mild anger, almost like 'very' but without a strong swear. So people use durned to complain or stress a point without using strong language.