on earth

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Prepositional phrase

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?

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