Also:
what the hell
what the actual fuck
what the dickens (becoming archaic)
Meaning of Idiom ‘What the Fuck’
1. What the fuck is a rude expression of irritation, surprise, disbelief, indignation, or anger. It sometimes precedes a question but is often used alone or as a standalone phrase after a statement.
2. A way of asking why or what angrily, usually in a rhetorical way simply meant to express any of the emotions above.
3. A way of accepting or agreeing to something while expressing indifference or nonchalance. Similar to ‘why not?’
The variation, what the actual fuck, has the same meaning but can be used to add emphasis. This variation what the hell is probably less common today as ‘what the fuck’ and ‘fuck’ itself have become more acceptable in everyday English. It has its own internet abbreviation, WTF, itself quite common.
The choice of variation may indicate the strength of the emotion. Dickens, for instance, may only express mild irritation or frustration similar to how cursing works, in general. However, since the ‘f word’ has become so common in casual use, there is probably no difference in intent when using the ‘hell’ or ‘fuck’ variation.
Usage Notes
Any question that contains the word what can use the idiom ‘what the hell’ to indicate any of the emotions described in the meaning. For example:
A. What are you doing here?
B. What the fuck are you doing here?
When used as a standalone expression, the idiom is asked as if it is a question. The voice should rise on the last word.
E.g. “They canceled the concert! What the fuck?”
What the hell is often replaced by the more vulgar expression ‘what the fuck?’
Examples Of Use
“What the fuck is wrong with you? You can’t butt in line like that!”
“What the hell is happening to this country?”
“I just saw my girlfriend with her ex-boyfriend? What the fuck is hell on?”
“What the hell is it with all these crows? They keep me up all night cawing”
“What the dickens did I do with my keys?”
