Caramba


(used as an exclamation of astonishment, dismay, or anger.)
Contemporary Examples

The man who would become the most influential fictionalist of the last half of the 20th century cried, “Ah, caramba!”
Borges Had A Genius For Literature But Not Love Or Much Else Allen Barra October 23, 2014

Historical Examples

In a few minutes they were startled by an explosive “caramba!”
The Gilded Man Clifford Smyth

caramba, comrades, if you are going to play at knives, can you not take me with you?
The Indian Scout Gustave Aimard

caramba (Spanish), a colloquial interjection, implying surprise and astonishment.
La Lgende des Sicles Victor Hugo

caramba is a Spanish word meaning in the American language “gosh.”
The Gold Diggings of Cape Horn John R. Spears

“caramba, Captain, what you say is anything but flattering to me,” the guide replied with an offended look.
The Border Rifles Gustave Aimard

caramba, what is this world but a cemetery of bleaching hopes!
Carmen Ariza Charles Francis Stocking

The other barrel appeared to have been a miss—the larger tunante of the two had escaped, caramba!
Wild Spain (Espaa agreste) Abel Chapman

caramba, but he was a coward––and he got well paid for it, too!
Carmen Ariza Charles Francis Stocking

What about the fifty-foot B’ar I saw wit’ mine own eyes, caramba?
Monarch, The Big Bear of Tallac Ernest Thompson Seton

exclamation of dismay or surprise, 1835, from Spanish, said to be a euphemism for carajo “penis,” from Vulgar Latin *caraculum “little arrow.”

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