Meaning & use
darned socks
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Meanings
nounplural
Socks that have been mended by weaving thread over a hole or worn area.
Grammar: Always plural; use a plural verb, e.g. 'The darned socks are in the drawer.'
Patterns
- a pair of darned socks
- wear darned socks
He wore darned socks under his boots to save money.
My grandmother kept a basket of darned socks by the fire.
These darned socks have been repaired so many times they hardly look original.
adjectivebefore a noun
Describing socks that have been repaired with a darn.
Grammar: Used before a noun; the verb is 'darn', and 'darned' is the past participle.
Patterns
- darned socks
- darned wool socks
She put on her darned socks and went for a walk.
The darned socks were still comfortable despite the visible repair.
Common combinations
- a pair of darned socks
- He packed a pair of darned socks for the hiking trip.
- wear darned socks
- During the war, people had to wear darned socks because new ones were scarce.
- mend socks
- She learned to mend socks from her mother.
- darn a hole
- He darned a hole in his favorite socks.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mended socks
- Broader term: any socks that have been repaired, not necessarily by darning.
- patched socks
- Socks repaired with a patch rather than by weaving thread.
Word family
- darn verb
- To repair a hole in cloth by weaving thread across it.
- darning noun
- The act or technique of repairing cloth by weaving.
Commonly confused: darned socks or damned socks?
darned socks vs damned socks
Sounds similar but 'damned' is a swear word meaning 'very annoying' or 'condemned'; 'darned' here means repaired.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'darned socks' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Darned socks' means socks that have been repaired by darning. Option C correctly shows repaired socks that are still usable. Option An is wrong because new socks are not darned. Option B is wrong because darned socks have been mended, not thrown away for holes. Option D is wrong because darned socks have been worn and repaired, not never worn.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “darned socks”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.