what the hell en · X
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Shortened from earlier what in the hell.
Meanings
-
(mildly, slang, vulgar) An intensive form of what.
What the hell are you?!
What the hell do you think you're doing!?
What the hell is going on?
What the hell is wrong with you?!
What the hell did you do?
What the hell is that?!
What the hell do you want?
-
(mildly, slang, vulgar) Indicating acceptance, indulgence, or insouciance: Why not? Who cares?
i have had my ups and downs / but wotthehell wotthehell / yesterday sceptres and crowns / fried oysters and velvet gowns / and today i herd with bums / but wotthehell wotthehell
1927, Don Marquis, “song of mehitabel”, in archy and mehitabel:It’s expensive, but what the hell, you only live once.
Surprisingly, dieters ate more ice cream after eating a large milkshake than after eating a small one. Dr. Polivy calls this the “What the hell” effect, which she describes as thinking “What the hell, my diet’s already broken, so I might as well eat everything in sight.”
Then one afternoon he pounced on me and before one could say Jack Robinson his hand was in my shirt. He was so strong! I struggled but his hand kept fishing about in my bra. Then I suddenly thought, “Oh jimminy cricket, what the hell” and gave up the struggle. It was extraordinary, the feeling.
1964, Robin Douglas-Home, chapter 12, in Hot for Certainties, London: Longmans, →OCLC, page 135:All my life I've been good / But now I'm thinking, "What the hell"
2011, “What the Hell”, in Goodbye Lullaby, performed by Avril Lavigne:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| whatthehell | alternative, rare | lexicographic | |
| what the Hell | alternative, rare | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
give something a try · have nothing to lose · the hell you say
Synonyms
why not (Indicating acceptance, indulgence, or insouciance) · what the fuck (Intensive forms of what?) · might as well (Indicating acceptance, indulgence, or insouciance) · the fuck (Intensive forms of what?) · may as well (Indicating acceptance, indulgence, or insouciance) · what the heck (Indicating acceptance, indulgence, or insouciance) · what the heck (Intensive forms of what?) · what on earth (Intensive forms of what?) · what the what (Intensive forms of what?) · the hell (Intensive forms of what?) · what the hey (Indicating acceptance, indulgence, or insouciance)
Translations (93)
gl que demos? (an intensive form of what) · fi mitä hittoa? (an intensive form of what) · hu mi a fene? (an intensive form of what) · da hvad fanden (why not?) · pl czemu nie (why not?) · hu mi az isten? (an intensive form of what) · ja なんだよ、これ？ (an intensive form of what) · pt que se lixe (why not?) · nl wat donder? (an intensive form of what) · bg какво по дяволите (an intensive form of what) · ru что за фигня́? (an intensive form of what) · is hvað í andskotanum? (an intensive form of what) · nl ach schijt (why not?) · cs co to k čertu? (an intensive form of what) · nl wat de hel? (an intensive form of what) · ru что за хуйня́? (an intensive form of what) · ru чем чёрт не шу́тит? (why not?) · eo kio diable (an intensive form of what) · pt dane-se (why not?) · ru была́ не была́ (why not?) · pt que diabos? (an intensive form of what) · ru что за чертовщи́на? (an intensive form of what) · pl co do diabła? (an intensive form of what) · es qué diablos (an intensive form of what) · nb hva i helvete? (an intensive form of what) · de was zum Teufel? (an intensive form of what) · uk що за біс? (an intensive form of what) · el τι στο διάολο; (an intensive form of what) · cs co to sakra? (an intensive form of what) · ru како́го чёрта? (an intensive form of what) · it che diavolo? cosa diavolo? (an intensive form of what) · no faen heller (why not?) · nl lekker boeiend (why not?) · vi cái quái gì (an intensive form of what) · el τι διάολο; (an intensive form of what) · da hvad helvede (an intensive form of what) · nb hva i huleste? (an intensive form of what) · vi éo biết (an intensive form of what) · fi mitä helvettiä? (an intensive form of what) · it che diavolo (why not?) · sv vad fan (why not?) · fr pourquoi pas (why not?) · hu mi a franc? (an intensive form of what) · fa چه مرضته؟ (an intensive form of what) · ru како́го ху́я? (an intensive form of what) · gl que carallo! (why not?) · ro ce naiba (an intensive form of what) · nn kva i svarte? (an intensive form of what) · ja 一体全体なんだ？ (an intensive form of what) · sv vad fan (an intensive form of what) · ru како́го хре́на? (an intensive form of what) · it perche no (why not?) · ja 一体なんだ？ (an intensive form of what) · sv vad tusan? (an intensive form of what) · nv shash líyáadi (an intensive form of what) · pt que se dane (why not?) · nn kva i helvete? (an intensive form of what) · no søren heller (why not?) · hu mi a halál? (an intensive form of what) · ar مَاذَا بِحَقّ اَلسَّمَاء (an intensive form of what) · nl wat voor de donder? (an intensive form of what) · pt que raio? (an intensive form of what) · pl co do cholery? (an intensive form of what) · uk яко́го бі́са? (an intensive form of what) · hu mi az ördög? (an intensive form of what) · nn kva faen? (an intensive form of what) · gl que carallo? (an intensive form of what) · de was zur Hölle (an intensive form of what) · de was soll's (why not?) · ru что за чёрт? (an intensive form of what) · ko 알게 뭐야? (an intensive form of what) · is hvað í fjandanum? (an intensive form of what) · ro ce dracu (an intensive form of what) · th ฉิบหาย (an intensive form of what) · is hvað í helvítinu? (an intensive form of what) · hu egye fene (why not?) · sh koji vrag? (an intensive form of what) · fa چه مرگته؟ (an intensive form of what) · sv vad i helvete? (an intensive form of what) · fr que diable (an intensive form of what) · he מָה לַעֲזָאזֵל (an intensive form of what) · hu mi a jó isten? (an intensive form of what) · nds-de wat to'n Düvel? (an intensive form of what) · ru чёрт с ним (why not?) · yue 乜鬼 (an intensive form of what) · nb hva faen? (an intensive form of what) · sh koji kurac? (an intensive form of what) · fi mitä hittoa (why not?) · el τι στο καλό; (an intensive form of what) · is skítt með það (why not?) · de scheiß drauf (why not?) · sv vafan (an intensive form of what) · cmn 什麼鬼 /什么鬼 (an intensive form of what)