tarnation
Folksy mild oath
Tarnation is a mild oath expressing surprise, frustration, or emphasis, a euphemism for damnation: What in tarnation is going on here?
The word sounds old-fashioned and rural, associated with American frontier speech.
It appears almost exclusively in the phrase what in tarnation or where in tarnation, functioning like "what the hell."
Repair by weaving
- heckMild frustrated exclamation
- goshTame exclamation of surprise
- gollyGentle exclamation of surprise
- dratMild oath
shucks · gee · dagnabbit · consarnit · dadgum · doggone · blast · fiddlesticks
Edge of settlement
- wild westUnregulated, lawless environment
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
- cowboysRanch hands tending herds
- prospectorsMineral deposit searchers
gold rush · homestead · prairie · settlers · wagon train · outlaws · saloon · varmint
Intense sudden wonder
- bewildermentState of being baffled
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- amazementOverwhelming surprise and wonder
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
incredulity · stupefaction · flabbergast · wonder · what the · dumbfounded · gobsmacked · thunderstruck
Intense violent anger
- exasperationIntense weary annoyance
- vexationFrustrated annoyance
- annoyanceState of being bothered
- irritationMild anger or inflammation
aggravation · indignation · ire · fuming · confounded · infernal · blasted · blamed
darn
Repair by weaving
drat · shucks · gee · dagnabbit · consarnit · dadgum · doggone · blast · fiddlesticks · criminy
frontier
Edge of settlement
- wild westUnregulated, lawless environment
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
- cowboysRanch hands tending herds
prospectors · gold rush · homestead · prairie · settlers · wagon train · outlaws · saloon · varmint · critter
astonishment
Intense sudden wonder
- bewildermentState of being baffled
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- amazementOverwhelming surprise and wonder
disbelief · incredulity · stupefaction · flabbergast · wonder · what the · dumbfounded · gobsmacked · thunderstruck
fury
Intense violent anger
- exasperationIntense weary annoyance
- vexationFrustrated annoyance
- annoyanceState of being bothered
irritation · aggravation · indignation · ire · fuming · confounded · infernal · blasted · blamed · accursed
- Old Westcowboy, cowboys, cowgirl, sheriff, sheriffs
- American slangbamboozle, bogus, bunkum, conniption, discombobulate
- Mild Oathsdarn, drat, gosh, heck, shoot
- Old-timey exclamationsgolly, gee whiz, jeepers, gadzooks, fiddlesticks
- minced oathsdarn, heck, gosh, shoot, dang
- old exclamationszounds, gadzooks, egad, egads, forsooth
tarnationdamnation
Eternal punishment decree
damn · goddamn · hell · bloody hell · Jesus Christ
tarnationhallelujah
Joyful exclamation of gratitude
praise the Lord · thank goodness · bless my soul · glory be · hooray
- what in tarnationRustic expression of surprise