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| To '''fuck''' is to ], sometimes aggressively. | |||
| The word is one of the strongest ]s in the ]. | |||
| It is often ] as '''the f-word''' or '''f***'''. | |||
| It is one of the so-called "]". | |||
| Similar to other swearwords and taboo words, in the vast majority of cases | |||
| "fuck" is not used in its original, literal meaning. | |||
| Rather, it is an intensifier expressing nothing but the speaker's strong | |||
| emotional involvement. | |||
| In the book ''Practical English Usage'', the two meanings of the word are | |||
| illustrated by juxtaposing the sentences: | |||
| *What are you doing fucking in my bed? | |||
| *What are you fucking doing in my bed? | |||
| The liberal usage of the word (and other vulgarisms) by certain artists | |||
| (such as ], ], and ]) has led | |||
| to the banning of their works and criminal charges of ]. | |||
| In the ], the ] forbids | |||
| the use of the word on broadcast television and radio; it is usually replaced | |||
| by a beep. | |||
| In ], the ] said "Fuck it, I've taken a bullet" when | |||
| he was shot by an anarchist while standing on a ] railway station. | |||
| In ], ] was the first man to say "fuck" on | |||
| ], on the late-night live satire program ], causing a furor. | |||
| The films ''Ulysses'' and ''I'll Never Forget What's'isname'' (both ]) | |||
| are contenders for being the first film to use the word. | |||
| == Etymology == | |||
| Its root is unclear; its earliest recorded use is in 1503. There is an evident connection to the Germanic word ''ficken'', to strike (slang for "copulate"), and to the ] ''futuere'', but there is no clear lineage. | |||
| There is perhaps even an original ] derivation; ''futuere'' being related to ''battuere'' (to strike, to copulate); which may be related to ] ''bot'' and Manx ''bwoid'' (penis). The argument is that ''battuere'' and ''futuere'' (like the Irish and Manx words) comes from the Celtic ''*bactuere'' (to pierce), from the root ''buc-'' (a point). An even earlier root may be the ] ''petcha'' (to copulate), which has a highly suggestive ]. | |||
| Part of the reason for the difficulty of the etymology is that the word was too ] for the original ]. It, and ], were first included in the 1972 edition. | |||
| There are many ], including the ]s "Fornication Under Consent of the King" and "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge", supposedly written on the ] above people who committed ]. | |||
| === References and external links === | |||
| * ], ''The F Word'' (1999) ISBN 0375706348. Presents hundreds of uses of ''fuck'' and related words. | |||
| * Michael Swan, ''Practical English Usage'' , OUP, 1995, ISBN 019431197X | |||