[General] When to use and what is the meaning of "What in the Name of God?"

[Zuhair Abbas]

I want to know when and how to use the following expression and what does actually it meant for:

What in the Name of God?
e.g
What in the name of god is wrong with my Mavic!!!!
What in the Name of God is Strategic Superiority?
What in the name of God is going on here?
What in the name of god happened to the hostess cupcake?

 

[5jj]

I want to know when and how to use the following expression and what does actually it meant for:

What in the Name of God?
e.g
What in the name of god is wrong with my Mavic!!!!
What in the Name of God is Strategic Superiority?
What in the name of God is going on here?
What in the name of god happened to the hostess cupcake?

Some speakers use this when they are very surprised about a situation, or when they have no idea about what is happening or what is being talked about. It doesn't really 'mean' anything.

Some people feel that mentioning the deity in such a way is disrespectful, so you would probably be better not to use this expression.

 

[Zuhair Abbas]

Thank You:-D

 

[BobK]

...
Some people feel that mentioning the deity in such a way is disrespectful, so you would probably be better not to use this expression.

:up: For this reason a number of euphemisms have been used, particularly 'in the name of all that's holy'.

b

 

[riquecohen]

Some speakers use this when they are very surprised about a situation, or when they have no idea about what is happening or what is being talked about. It doesn't really 'mean' anything.

Some people feel that mentioning the deity in such a way is disrespectful, so you would probably be better not to use this expression.

A frequently used alternative is What on earth.......?

 

[Zuhair Abbas]

I guess then the following expressions have also the same meaning:

What in the world?
Who in the world?

 

[Barb_D]

Correct.

What in the world is...
What on earth is...
What in Sam Hill is... (I have no idea what, where, or who Sam Hill is)
For the love of Pete, what is...
For heaven's sake, what is...

 

[BobK]

:up:

I guess then the following expressions have also the same meaning:

What in the world?
Who in the world?

...although they don't mean the same as each other!

b

 

[5jj]

What in Sam Hill is... (I have no idea what, where, or who Sam Hill is)
.

Perhaps a euphemism for hell?

 

[bhaisahab]

Correct.

What in the world is...
What on earth is...
What in Sam Hill is... (I have no idea what, where, or who Sam Hill is)
For the love of Pete, what is...
For heaven's sake, what is...

I don't know how accurate this is, but it's interesting: Sam Hill (euphemism) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[BobK]

...
For the love of Pete, what is...
...

:up: ...also 'for Pete's sake' (where Pete is possibly a secularized version of 'pity', although 'for pity's sake' is no longer a close synonym of 'for Pete's sake' - a victim of a home invasion might say 'for pity's sake, let my wife go', but he wouldn't say 'for Pete's sake let her go'). 'Pete' can also be 'Mike', but no other Tom Dick or Harry, apart from 'the usual [biblical] suspects'.;-)

b