demnition

English

Etymology

Alteration of damnation; appears to have been popularized by the speech of the character Mr. Mantalini in Charles Dickens’ novel Nicholas Nickleby (1839).

Adjective

demnition (not comparable)

1. (euphemistic, obsolete) Damned.
   • 1841, Edward FitzGerald, letter to W. F. Pollock dated 10 February, 1841, in The Variorum and Definitive Edition of the Poetical and Prose Writings of Edward FitzGerald, Volume 7, p. 22,^[1]

     Luckily for you, my farming is a good deal hindered by these demnition snows and frosts […]

   • 1891 May 21, James Stetson Metcalfe, “Theatre-Goers’ Enemies”, in Life‎^[2], volume 17, number 438, page 325:

     It is hard to tell whether the American stage is going to the demnition bow-wows for lack of honest and intelligent criticism or whether there is no such thing as criticism because there is nothing on the American stage worth criticising.

   • 1907, Robert Blatchford, chapter 3, in The Sorcery Shop‎^[3], London: Clarion, page 31:

     “Look here, dash it all,” said the General, “are we to understand that we are a couple of demnition ghosts?”

   • 1920, Ian Hamilton, chapter 13, in Gallipoli Diary‎^[4], volume 2, London: Edward Arnold, page 9:

     Since June 4th, when we had to whang off the whole of our priceless 600 rounds of H.E., we have had none for 18-prs. on the Peninsula—not one solitary demnition round; nor do we seem in the least likely to get one solitary demnition round.

Adverb

demnition (not comparable)

1. (euphemistic, obsolete) Damned, very.
   • 1849, Ned Buntline, New York: A Story of Real Life‎^[5], Dublin: James M’Glashan, Part 5, Chapter 4, p. 287:

     ‘The wine is demnition good!’ replied Selden; ‘but our friend Charley seems to be in the dumps—it don’t wake him up.’

   • 1918, Clarence Herbert New, The Unseen Hand: Stories of Diplomatic Adventure, New York: Caldwell, Chapter 1, p. 12,^[6]

     They read a bloomin’ magazine story clear through from start to finish—written by a man who’s not even English, I’m told—an’ then are so demnition thick they don’t even know it’s pure fiction!

Interjection

demnition

1. (euphemistic, obsolete) Damn (used to express anger, irritation, disappointment, annoyance, contempt, etc.).
   • 1852, Dennis Hannigan, chapter 11, in The Swamp Steed‎^[7], New York: Dewitt & Davenport, page 82:

     “ […] It is enough to make one swear. Demnition! if my mother heard of it, what would she say!”