dag nab it!
A mild cuss when something goes wrong.
Also called dagnabbit, dag nabbit.
Updated September 21, 2026
dag nab it! pronunciation
/DAG nab it/
Meaning
Dag nab it is the polite porch version of a harder damn. You say it when the nail bends, the fish gets off, or you drop the last biscuit. Same family as dagnabbit and doggone. Soft enough for church company, sharp enough to show you are mad.
How folks use it
- “Dag nab it! I left the keys in the truck again.”
- “Well dag nab it, that fence post split clean in two.”
Origin and etymology
A minced oath softening God damn it. Dag stands in for God, nab for damn, the same trick behind dadgum and doggone. OED records the verb dagnab by 1916; spellings like dagnabbit show up in early-1900s American print. Rural Southern and Midwestern talk kept the folksy forms alive.
Frequently asked questions
Is dag nab it a real swear?
It is a stand-in for a real swear. Most folks treat it as mild, the kind grandparents used when they would not say damn.