English

Phrase

the ****

1. (vulgar, slang) Used after interrogative pronouns as an intensifier to express anger, frustration, incredulity, or other strong emotion.
   • 2011 April 29, Tim Jonze, The Guardian:

     "Look at this!" she says, mock-appalled at the scene. "Seriously, what the **** is this about?"

   • 2016 June 19, “Brexit”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, HBO, HBO, 00:14:33 from the start:

     Poland is depressing and there's vampires in Romania. Spain is far too hot and where the **** is Lithuania?

2. (vulgar, slang) Used after verbs forming a part of a phrasal verb as an intensifier to imply aggressive emphasis.
   • 2004, Pun Plamondon, Lost from the Ottawa, page 84:

     “Get the **** out of my house!” Sinclair bellowed, his face red, eyes bulging.

   • 2007, Ron Liebman, Death by Rodrigo, New York: Simon & Schuster, ISBN 9781416535270, page 134:

     Ponytail tells fat boy, Drive the **** off, get us out of here. He keeps the window down, still death-staring, You mine, ****, wait and see, at Mickie.

3. (vulgar, slang) Used as a shortened form of the common interrogative phrases.

   The **** was that? (What the **** was that?)

   The **** you think you are?! (Who the **** do you think you are?)

   The ****? (said incredulously; also as what the ****?)

4. (vulgar, slang) Used to emphatically express that something isn't true.
   • 1997, Robert Stone, Dog Soldiers, page 88:

     ‘You're not a self-respecting person.’

     ‘The **** I ain't,’ the kid said.

Derived terms

• dafuq (said incredulously and used for less serious situations)

Related terms

• what the ****
• the ****
• the devil
• the dickens
• -****-

Translations

Anagrams

• fucketh