Sam Hill
English
[edit]
Alternative forms
[edit]Etymology
[edit]No suitable person is known to be the original for this. Probably intended as a substitute for hell or, more fully, for "damned hell".
Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (General Australian): (file)
Noun
[edit]- (slang) An intensifier.
- What the Sam Hill do you think you're doing?
- Who the Sam Hill does he think he is?
- Where in Sam Hill is that dog off to?
- 1960 July 11, Harper Lee, chapter 3, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Philadelphia, Pa., New York, N.Y.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, →OCLC:
- Walter poured syrup on his vegetables and meat with a generous hand. He probably would have poured it into his milk glass had I not asked what the sam hill he was doing.
- 2023 September 21, Grace Parra Janney, “Something Borrowed, Something Green” (9:13 from the start), in Star Trek: Lower Decks[1], season 4, episode 4, spoken by Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid):
- “Oh, what in the Sam Hill are you a-wearing? I thought I was supposed to be Twain.” “I say you are incorrect, sir. I believe we decided I would be Twain.” “Twin Twains? That dog won't hunt.” “Uh, Mr. Clemens?” “Mmhmm. That's me.” “No, I'm Twain. Switch costumes, you ignominious pretender.” “You're more stubborn than a senate mule.” “Grits, grits, grits!” “Tarnation!” “Fancy pants, big-city lawyer.” “I say you are incorrect, sir.”