[HPforGrownups] cultural references (was: Britishisms, swearing)

[Edblanning at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 40603

The random Monkey:
> Rosie:
> >>"Damn" isn't really a curse word (it actually refers to an Indian coin
> of very little value, hence "I don't give a damn"); it's not strange
> that Hermione wouldn't pull the boys up on it.<<

Sorry, I missed this or I would have commented last time.
That is a definition I have never come across (and it's not in my dictionary, 
either).
I have always understood it to mean a curse (as in 'damn it', or more 
unkindly, 'you') or as a short form of 'damnation', which curse also passes 
my lips fairly frequently.
These definitions *are* in my dictionary (Oxford Reference).
There are other forms of expression following the 'don't give a....' format, 
which don't have any monetary value associated. For example, 'I don't give a 
tinker's cuss'. I have far too much delicacy to mention the other one that 
comes to mind. ;-)

Eloise






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