what in tarnation
Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning a question.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“What in tarnation are you doing in my garden?”
“When he saw the strange mess in the kitchen, he shouted, "What in tarnation happened here?"”
“The old farmer stared at the mysterious lights in the sky and asked himself, "What in tarnation could those be?"”
- 01
ain't what it used to was
Is not what it used to be; (expressing nostalgia).
- 02
come what may
In spite of anything that might happen; whatever may occur.
- 03
do exactly what it says on the tin
To do what is described or what one would expect, with no further explanation needed.
- 04
do what
An intensified version of what? or huh?, expressing surprise or lack of comprehension
- 05
get what one asked for
Synonym of get what's coming to one.
- 06
give someone what-for
To admonish or berate; to speak angrily at somebody.
- 07
give what for
To scold; to punish, especially verbally.
- 08
guess what
Used to introduce a surprising outcome or one that the hearer is not expected to try to guess.
Last updated August 10, 2026