Cuss words are just like any other word in the sense that they only have meaning given to them by others. If I'm speaking strictly in biological terms, the "A word" is merely a donkey (And as I recall, it's even in the KJV of the Bible somewhere). It's the meaning behind the words that a given person is trying to portray that matters. Words are only as valuable as men think they are, since they are used to portray thoughts (so you should be more concerned with the thought behind the word instead of the actual sound coming out of someone's mouth).
Some people will be offended by even the most mild of "cuss words" (i.e. "dang," "darn," "shoot," etc). To most people (from my experience), these aren't "cuss words," and wouldn't be given a second thought. However, if my using them causes someone else to spiritually stumble, or if it causes me to lose credability as an ambassedor for Christ, I should stop saying it in front of them. This situation is summed up and addressed in 1 Corinthians 10:23-33, and that's the guidelines I try to go by.