tarnation
noun [ U ] US informal old-fashioned uk/tɑːˈneɪ.ʃən/ us/tɑːrˈneɪ.ʃən/
该死，混蛋（用以表达愤怒或加以强调，多用于避免说“damnation”的时候）
used to express anger or to add emphasis, to avoid saying "damnation"
What in tarnation is that? 那是什么鬼东西？
I sure as tarnation ain't lookin' for no wife. 我他妈肯定不是来找老婆的。
- More examples
- Where in tarnation were you during all this commotion?
- I rushed down to get some sort of idea of what in tarnation I was supposed to be doing.
- There was a time when blurting out "Jesus Christ," "damnation" and the like were the ultimate no-nos. More acceptable euphemisms included "jeepers" for Jesus and "tarnation" for damnation.