'nation

A form of nation — A historically constituted, stable community of people, formed based on a common economic life, ethnicity, language, religion, and/or territory, and manifested in a common culture.

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Meanings

adverb
  1. alternativedialectalrareAlternative form of nation (“extremely, very”).

    "I hope there ain't, but I can't make so 'Nation sure of that," said the guard, in gruff soliloquy. "Hallo you!"

    1859, Charles Dickens, “The Mail”, in A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book I (Recalled to Life), page 5
    1 more example

    The two young men were acquainted, though not intimate with each other, and they bowed, and then shook hands; and Barry told the attorney that he was welcome to Dunmore House, and the attorney made another bow, rubbed his hands before the fire and said it was a very cold evening; and Barry said it was 'nation cold for that time of the year; which, considering that they were now in the middle of February, showed that Barry was rather abroad, and didn't exactly know what to say.

    1848, Anthony Trollope, chapter IX (Mr. Daly, the Attorney), in The Kellys and the O'Kellys, from the last London edition, New York, N.Y.: Rudd & Carleton, […], published 1860, pages 92–93
interjection
  1. abbreviationarchaicclippingminced oathClipping of damnation (“expressing annoyance or disappointment”).

    'What's the meaning o' that? 'Nation seize such husbands as you seem to get, say I!'

    1891, Thomas Hardy, chapter XXXVIII, in Tess of the d’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented […], volume II, London: James R[ipley] Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., […], →OCLC, phase the fifth (The Woman Pays), page 259
    2 more examples

    "Stop a bit," said the mate, and, springing before the clergyman, he set his back against the door. "Don't be in such a nation hurry: for, if you do, it will be bad for me, but worse for you."

    1868, Charles Reade, Dion Boucicault, chapter IX, in Foul Play, volume I, London: Bradbury, Evans, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 163

    "You've got him to care for 'ee a bit, 'nation if you ha'n't!" murmured Anny, judicially. "It's well to be you!"

    1894 December – 1895 November, Thomas Hardy, chapter VII, in Jude the Obscure, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], published 1896, →OCLC, part I (At Marygreen), pages 51–52
Cite this entry
APA

'nation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/'nation

MLA

“'nation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/'nation. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “'nation,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/'nation.

Source: 'nation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.