Darn and, to a less extent, bless are euphemisms in common use in polite circles. Blow is a little coarser, but still usable by a lady in quite private life. Blast (Cockney brast) is a distinctly profane word, generally implying ill-temper. Drat is the usual word in the language of the domestic servant. Blime or blimey (= blind me!) as well as blarmed (probably a corruption of blamed) is distinctly vulgar. Dang (esp. dang it!) is a mild form of damn; might be used even by a clergyman.
the dismals
»I used to get the fair dismals watching it.» (T. T. T. 129. 21.)
A waiter.
= to feel wretched, dejected.
The phrase is doubly vulgar: »fair» to express »complete», as in »a fair (regular) swindle», »a fair old brute», »a fair knock out» (a fair fight); »dismals»—adjective turned into a plural noun to express a state of mind.
Cf. rheumatics (rheumatism); to have (to get) the blues = to feel melancholy.
doorstep
»Slices of bread and butter—»doorsteps», as we used to call them.» (T. T. T. 126. 14.)
A waiter.