the measles
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]See measles.
Phrase
[edit]- Alternative form of measles.
- (euphemistic, obsolete) Used after interrogative pronouns as an intensifier to express anger, frustration, incredulity, or other strong emotion.
- What the measles do you think you're doing?
- 1614 November 10 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), Beniamin Iohnson [i.e., Ben Jonson], Bartholmew Fayre: A Comedie, […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Robert Allot, […], published 1631, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
Synonyms
[edit]References
[edit]- “measles, n.”, in OED Online
, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2022.
