Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a euph. for damn v. in a variety of oaths.

1793–7		Spirit of Public Journals (1799) I 146: [Kentish man says] Dang me, if I sometimes know how to answer them.
1812		J. Bell Jr. (ed.) Rhymes of Northern Bards 316: Dang Lunuun!
1822		C. Dibdin Yngr Larks of Logic, Tom and Jerry I ii: Dang my buttons, but you be up to every thing.
1827		J.J. Stafford Love’s Frailties I iv: Dang me! I’ll go to Lunnun.
1834		(con. 1737–9) W.H. Ainsworth Rookwood (1857) 25: Dang him! he deserves it.
1838–9		Dickens Nicholas Nickleby (1982) 111: Dang my boans and boddy if I stan’ this ony longer.
1840		W.G. Simms Border Beagles (1855) 300: Dang my buttons, I’m almost ashamed I didn’t borrow a pen-knife to do the business.
1840		Flash Mirror 13: ‘Dang my buttons’.
1842		Leeds Times 5 Nov. 6/2: ‘Dang it, he’s a queer fellow that’.
1852		R.G. Porter ‘The Snapping Turtle’ in Southern Journal (Monticelo, MS) 13 Mar. [1]: Dang me if I haven’t a great notion to get another machine put in tother pocker here.
1861		G. Meredith Evan Harrington I 175: Oh, no! dang that!
1876		J. Miller First Fam’lies in the Sierras 103: Dang my cats if it’s bigger nor my thumb!
1883		J. Greenwood Tag, Rag & Co. 119: Dang his hide.
1886		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 18 Dec. 2/2: Miss Helen Dauvray says: By gum! Clara Morris: Darn It! Marie Louise Day: Fiddlesticks! Alma Smart Stanley : Blow it! Dora Stuart: Dang my buttons.
1892		H. Lawson ‘The Bush Undertaker’ in Roderick (1972) 54: Dang me if ever I seed a flock of black gohanners afore!
1898		Pittsburgh Press (PA) 7 Aug. n.p.: ‘Dang the moon!’ he growled.
1903		J. Furphy Such is Life 139: Scotch coolie be dang!
1906		S.F. Bullock ‘Old Timber-Toe’ in Sun (NY) 1 Apr. 23/4: ‘Wake up, dang your buttons’.
1909		‘O. Henry’ Roads of Destiny 96: Dang my hide!
1922		H.L. Wilson Merton of the Movies 41: Whoa, there, dang you!
1931		B. Lubbock Bully Hayes 12: Dang me if I shall ever forget.
1942		A. Christie Body in the Library (1959) 91: Why, dang my eyes, I said, whatever be that?
1947		W.D. Overholser Buckaroo’s Code (1948) 30: Dang your ornery hide.
1958		D. Stivens Scholarly Mouse and other Tales 100: By dang! [...] Dang me, no!

2. to curse, to abuse.

1787		Burns O ay my Wife she Dang me in Works (1842) 210/2: O ay my wife she dang me, And aft my wife did bang me.
1859		G.A. Sala Gaslight and Daylight 13: I am [...] jostled to and fro, and ‘danged’ dreadfully by rude market-gardeners.

3. as past participle of sense 1; usu. as danged if... or I’ll be danged.

1843		W.L. Rede Our Village I ii: Dang’d if I didn’t think it was my Poll.
1853		T. Haliburton Sam Slick’s Wise Saws I 212: Danged if I do, I’ll fight till I die fust.
1861		G. Meredith Evan Harrington I 178: Dang’d if I didn’t think ’twere that Garge of our’n.
1872		‘Mark Twain’ Roughing It 27: ‘Danged if I didn’t begin to think you fellers was deef and dumb.’.
1886		Aberdeen Jrnl 8 May 8/7: Danged if they didn’t all jump overboard.
1905–6		(?) H. Lawson ‘Triangles of Life’ in Roderick (1972) 656: Danged if it ain’t that skangtimonious painter’s daughter.
1916		N. Douglas London Street Games 109: Danged if I know the reason why. But there it is.
1925		A. Christie Secret of Chimneys (1956) 176: Well [...] I’m – I’m danged. What is the meaning of this?
1946		B. Cerf Anything For a Laugh 59: ‘Danged if I know,’ said the workman.
1957		G. Metalious Peyton Place (1959) 80: I’ll be danged if those bastards ain’t drained every drop!
1969		Nard n’ Pat [comic] Well I’ll be danged!