Etymology From darnation, influenced by tarnal (from eternal); see darn.
1
Archaic, Regional The act or process of damnation or reprobation; hell.
What in tarnation is going on?
I am Offul maazed. Wheer in tarnations es that theer plaguy girl?1901, Alien, Another Woman's Territory, page 311:
3 more examples
Them city fellers liked to died when they see me come in the office ! I says to 'em: "Had a tarnation of a time finding this place.1965, Benjamin Albert Botkin, A treasury of New England folklore: stories, ballads, and traditions:
"Now who in tarnation is Uncle Jobe?" asked Pa.1989, Patrick D. Smith, The River is Home ; And, Angel City, →ISBN, page 45:
Then where in tarnation is it?1999, John O'Connor, The Hound of the Baskervilles, →ISBN, page 13:
2
Obsolete Someone or something that causes trouble; troublemaker.
I would say more, but RADLEY's come up to tell me I must go and meet that tarnation BANCROFT.1848, Henry Mayhew, Tom Taylor, Mark Lemon, Punch - Volumes 12-15, page 162:
I felt sort of odd all over, and I hadn't the least notion what could ail me; it warn't a very tedious feeling, though, but it seemed as if I was a dreaming yit, and all about that tarnation little Miss Miles.1854, Ann Sophia Stephens, High Life in New York, page 70:
1 more example
The year before that the young tarnations got up into the tower one night and hooked a rope onto the bell and stretched it across the campus into Professor Robert's barn.1928 September, F. Ray Ritchie, “The Worm Turns”, in Boys' Life, volume 18, number 9, page 39:
Etymology From darnation, influenced by tarnal (from eternal); see darn.
1
Archaic Used to express anger, irritation, disappointment, annoyance, contempt, etc.
"Tarnation! You all right?" "Hell, no, I ain't all right!"2002, T. T. Flynn, Prodigal of Death: A Western Quintet, →ISBN, page 41:
“They contain the precise description of the place where the nuggets are hidden.” “Tarnation! Is that true?"2008, Marlies Bugmann, Karl May, Winnetou III, page 338:
2 more examples
“Tarnation,” Jasper murmured, his attention turning to the thing in the Aether bubble.2013, Kady Cross, The Girl With The Iron Touch, →ISBN:
“Oh, what in the Sam Hill are you a-wearing? I thought I was supposed to be Twain.” “I say you are incorrect, sir. I believe we decided I would be Twain.” “Twin Twains? That dog won't hunt.” “Uh, Mr. Clemens?” “Mmhmm. That's me.” “No, I'm Twain. Switch costumes, you ignominious pretender.” “You're more stubborn than a senate mule.” “Grits, grits, grits!” “Tarnation!” “Fancy pants, big-city lawyer.” “I say you are incorrect, sir.”2023 September 21, Grace Parra Janney, “Something Borrowed, Something Green” (9:35 from the start), in Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 4, episode 4, spoken by Samanthan Rutherford (Eugene Cordero):
tarnation
adj
Etymology From darnation, influenced by tarnal (from eternal); see darn.
1
Bothersome; devilish.
Now you go 'long back to the house, Marm Winthrop, and if riding 'longside of a popish priest don't speerit me into the bottomless pit, I'll be blamed if I don't go some day into his church and find out what all that tarnation lingo means.1876, The Catholic Record - Volume 11, page 78:
It started over nothing, and would have come to nothing but for that tarnation liquor.1894, Macmillan's Magazine - Volume 70, page 343:
1 more example
Hello stranger, this is a fine fix you got into, getting a tarnation fever out in the Rockies, but my wife is the best hand at sick folks you ever see.1921, Gilbert Guest, A Bridal Trip in a Prairie Schooner, page 128:
2
Generic intensifier.
Some time in the month o' August, I think it wur, I found myself in London wi'out a tarnation cent.1803, The Castle of the Pyrenees; Or, the Wanderer of the Alps.:
My love the strongest, a tarnation sight.1838, The Old American Comic Almanac:
1 more example
I allow now, if I had asked you to loan me a handful of dollars, you might have looked as glum as a beaver in a trap ; but there's a tarnation difference between that and a civil question on the road.1861, William Edmondstoune Aytoun, Norman Sinclair, page 213:
tarnation
adv
Etymology From darnation, influenced by tarnal (from eternal); see darn.
1
Very; extremely.
He was so tarnation black you couldn't see him except in the middle of the day.1855, John Diprose, Diprose's New Sixpenny Comic Song-Book, page 57:
Since Britannia ruled the waves, I guess it's a tarnation queer thing that she didn't rule 'em straighter.1867, John Cordy Jeaffreson, A Book about Lawyers - Volume 2, page 242:
2 more examples
Well, that's tarnation strange !1883 -, John Thomas Dicks, Dicks' standard plays, page 48:
I know it is lonesome for you, but I will be with you again in time and then we can and will have a "tarnation good time."2009, Dennis M. Larsen -, Slick as a Mitten: Ezra Meeker's Klondike Enterprise, page 29: