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darn¹

(därn)

v. darned, darn·ing, darns

v. tr.

To mend (a garment, for example) by weaving thread or yarn across a gap or hole.

v. intr.

To repair a hole, as in a garment, by weaving thread or yarn across it.

A hole repaired by weaving thread or yarn across it: a sock full of darns.

[Perhaps from Middle English dernen, to conceal, from dialectal Old English (Anglia) dernan, variant of Old English diernan, dyrnan; see dher- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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