heck
n. uncountablen. a polite word used instead of 'hell' to show you are surprised, annoyed, or to add emphasis to a question. It makes your language sound less rude or aggressive.
n. a mild euphemism for 'hell', used to express surprise, frustration, or emphasis. Informal in register; functions as a substitute to avoid causing offense in polite company.
What the heck is going on here?
I have no idea how we are going to finish this project by tomorrow, but what the heck, let's try.
While some found his outburst unprofessional, most colleagues viewed his use of 'heck' as a restrained expression of the genuine frustration felt by the entire department.
English, Dutch and south German surname, all from words meaning "hedge," "enclosure," "fence," from *haggju. Compare Van Heck, Hatch.
Commonly used in the fixed phrases 'what the heck', 'how the heck', or 'a heck of a'.