darn tootin

Meaning

1. 1phrasefixed phraseinformalAmericanhumorous

   An old-fashioned, cheerful way of saying 'absolutely' or 'you bet' to agree strongly with something.

   Grammar: Used alone as a reply or at the end of a statement: You bet, darn tootin'.

   Patterns

   • You're darn tootin
   • darn tootin I will

   "Are you going to win this year?" "Darn tootin I am!"

   If you think I'll miss the final, you're darn tootin wrong.

   "Is that your truck?" "Darn tootin it is, and I just washed it."

Common combinations

darn tootin right

You're darn tootin right I'll be there.

you're darn tootin

You're darn tootin I'll help you move.

darn tootin good

That pie was darn tootin good.

darn tootin I will

Darn tootin I will, and I'll bring dessert.

Synonyms and how they differ

you bet

You bet is plainer and still widely used today, while darn tootin sounds jokey and rural.

absolutely

Absolutely is neutral and works in any setting, but it has none of the folksy humor.

damn right

Damn right is stronger and may seem rude, whereas darn tootin is a softened, family-friendly version.

you betcha

You betcha is similarly playful but is associated with the upper Midwest, not the old West.

Opposites

Word family

darn adjective

a mild substitute for damn, used as an intensifier

darned adjective

mildly cursed or used for emphasis

tootin noun

a form of tooting, from the older exclamation about being right

Commonly confused: darn tootin or darn?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “darn tootin”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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