on earth

• on Earth

on earth

1. Expletive used for emphasis after an interrogative word.
   • 1895, Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest […] , [Act I]:

     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.

   • 1992 April 26, “Hot Off the Press”, in Jeeves and Wooster, Series 3, Episode 5:

     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.

   • 2013 October 31, Rowena Mason, quoting David Steel, “Lord Steel criticises culture of spin and tweeting in modern politics”, in The Guardian‎, →ISSN:

     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?

• (intensifier): See Thesaurus:the dickens

• A. N. Other, A.N. Other, AN Other, another