Word Smith: Darn

“Darn,” said the student. “It’s safer around teachers, than DAMN! They get all wigged out about that word.” I challenged the student to tell me what DARN means. He looked at me quizzically. “What do you mean? It is just an acceptable way to not say a cuss word.”

I had some explaining to do…

As Web Dictionaries define: To darn is to stitch up a small hole in a piece of clothing. Instead of throwing your worn-out socks away, you can just darn the holes in their toes.

When you darn your socks or sweaters, you use a needle and thread to close small holes in the woven fabric. There’s even a specific stitch known as a “darning stitch,” in which you first weave the thread with the grain of the fabric, and then fill in the other “woven” direction. The result is a sturdy patch made only of thread. Darn comes from the Middle French word darner, “to mend.” [1]