# "Well I'll be damned."

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-ill-be-damned/490176
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 20, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-ill-be-damned/490176 "2009-03-20T15:46:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)
#### Post date: [March 20, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-ill-be-damned/490176/1 "2009-03-20T15:46:36Z")

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How did the phrase “I’ll be damned” come to mean a sense of surprise, as used [here, in post #35](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=510919)?

(Considering who posted it, I don’t think he meant it literally. :D)