on earth en · ADP
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
Meanings
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Expletive used for emphasis after an interrogative word.
How on earth did you manage to pull that off?
A. Fink-Nottle: But it's absolute balderdash, Bertie. I mean, listen to this: "Sure and begorrah, I don't know what's after being the matter with you, Michael." I mean, what on earth is this "what's after being" stuff mean? B.W. Wooster: My dear old Gussie, that is how people think Irish people talk.
1992 April 26, “Hot Off the Press”, in Jeeves and Wooster, Series 3, Episode 5:What on earth does he want?
How on earth are we supposed to hold our heads high as the 'mother of parliaments' when we allow to continue the practice of almost openly buying a seat in parliament?
2013 October 31, Rowena Mason, quoting David Steel, “Lord Steel criticises culture of spin and tweeting in modern politics”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:Who on earth would do such a thing?
Really, if the lower orders don’t set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them? They seem, as a class, to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility.
1895, Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest […] , [Act I]:
Relateds
Synonyms
on God's green earth · earthly
Translations (39)
de um Himmels willen (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · fi ihme (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · sh dovraga (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · it mai (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · ca diables (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · de um alles in der Welt (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · ca dimonis (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · de in aller Welt (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · ro Dumnezeu (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · da i alverden (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · no i all verden (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · ro doamne (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · pt diabos (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · de in Herrgotts Namen (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · sv i hela världen (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · pl na Boga (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · sh pobogu (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · cmn 究竟 (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · ru вообще́ (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · sh zaboga (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · ja 一体全体 (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · ko 도대체 (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · ja 自体 (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · pl -ż (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · de in Gottes Namen (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · pl jakim cudem (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · pt raios (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · ja 一体 (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · de um Himmels Willen (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · ko 대체 (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · nl in vredesnaam (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · cmn 到底 (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · nl in hemelsnaam (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · fr diable (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · sh kvragu (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · fr donc (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · fi kumma (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · nl in godsnaam (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word) · eo en la mondo (expletive giving emphasis after interrogative word)