sb., a., adv. slang, chiefly U. S. A variant of darnation, DAMNATION sb. 3; app. associated with TARNAL.
A. as sb. rare.
1801. Col. G. Hanger, Life, II. 151. The Americans say, Tarnation seize me, or swamp me, if I don’t do this or that.
1832. New England Mag. (Boston), III. 380. We have ‘Tarnation’ and ‘darnation’ for damnation.
B. as adj. Damned, damnable, execrable.
1784. W. Wilson, in Mem. (1866), 47. They only came to look at the ‘tarnation Tories’ from Canada.
1835–40. Haliburton, Clockm. (1862), 54. Now, says he, I’m in a tarnation hurry.
1857. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett. (1883), II. 329. After having been all but asphyxiated with tarnation folly.
C. as adv. Damnably, desperately, execrably.
1790. R. Tyler, Contrast, V. i. (1887), 88. What the rattle makes you look so tarnation glum?
1830. Galt, Lawrie T., II. i. Which is tarnation bad.
1890. Gunter, Miss Nobody, vi. People … don’t call me ‘my good man,’ for they know I’m a tarnation bad one when I’m riled, sonny!
