# F\*\*\*in A **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [October 7, 2001, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990 "2001-10-07T21:45:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/21 "2001-10-08T16:05:12Z")
I always thought the A stood for Awesome, as in **Fuckin’ Awesome**. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/22 "2001-10-08T16:07:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by heptapod \* > \*\*Oh!!! Fuck! Why didn’t he fucking say fuck in the first fucking place? That makes things a fuck of a lot clearer. Fuckin’ a, man. \*\* Hate to sound prudelike, but isn’t that sort of language discouraged (nay, strongly discouraged) outside The Pit? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/23 "2001-10-08T16:38:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Amp \* > \*\*I always thought the A stood for Awesome, as in **Fuckin’ Awesome**. \*\* Doubtful, since “Awesome!” is an exclamation of recent mint, while the earliest “Fuckin’ A!” cite we’ve found is from the 40’s. (To clarify: Of course the word “awesome” is ancient, but its use as a one-word exclamation is recent. Derived from surferspeak, if I’m not mistaken.) ---
**Author:** ![BlueMoonofKentucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@BlueMoonofKentucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueMoonofKentucky)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/24 "2001-10-08T19:10:45Z")
Fuck’n A = Fuck’n Affirmative. It is **Affirmative**. Another way of saying “damn straight” or the like. Fuck’n Affirmative. It comes from military circles and found broad usage after WW2. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/25 "2001-10-08T19:29:52Z")
Yes!! Oh my god, vindication. Whenever I saw the word “Fuckin’ A” i always would sort of wonder what it meant and eventually I thought it stood for affirmative. Which I was going to post, but then **BlueMoonofKentucy** posted it first. So I’ll just have to back him up. It’s always just made the most sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Tymp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tymp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tymp)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/26 "2001-10-08T20:24:55Z")
Hmm… I always thought it was “fuckin’ ay,” indicating emphatic agreement. This spelling really leaves no question of the meaning. An alternate spelling would be “fuckin’ aye,” which means the same thing and sounds very much like “fuckin’ a” when spoken with certain accents. As a statement of my authority in these matters and to give credence to my assertions, I’d like to point out that I am wearing fuzzy socks. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2001, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/27 "2001-10-09T00:40:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tymp \* > \*\*Hmm… I always thought it was “fuckin’ ay,” indicating emphatic agreement. This spelling really leaves no question of the meaning. An alternate spelling would be “fuckin’ aye,” which means the same thing and sounds very much like “fuckin’ a” when spoken with certain accents. > > As a statement of my authority in these matters and to give credence to my assertions, I’d like to point out that I am wearing fuzzy socks. \*\* Fuzzy socks!!?? Well, that settles it folks! I defer to the poster with the fuzzy socks. –Nott, whose cat has fuzzy socks. ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/28 "2003-02-28T01:24:28Z")
Can’t there be a possibility it evolved into something different, including different uses in different regions? When I was growing up, it was always used in the context of “fucking asshole.” It was used in this context: highschooler: I just spilled oil on my shirt, fuckin A dude! I’ve never heard it in the context of agreeing or affirming something. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cisco \* > \*\*I don’t think it does…Think about the context it’s used in. It is generally used as an agreement and not an insult. You frequently hear: > > “Check out the break in those waves, this is gonna be great!” > “Fuckin’ A bro!!” > > But you never hear: > > “You smell funny” > “You fucking a!” > See what I mean? \*\* ---
**Author:** ![slipster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@slipster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slipster)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/29 "2003-02-28T01:34:34Z")
Just to complicate matters, people sometimes use the expression “fuckin’ A” to express confusion or uncertainty, much the same as they might say “what the hell?” of “huh?” In such circumstances, “A” seems to be a phonetic rendering of “eh?” ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/30 "2003-02-28T01:40:19Z")
Seems the Straight Dope answered this one recently [here.](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mfuckina.html) This thread is mentioned specifically. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/31 "2003-02-28T02:03:31Z")
I’d figured it had to mean “Right on” or something similar ever since I saw **The Deerhunter** , when Axel used it constantly and always in a positive way. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/32 "2003-02-28T02:37:29Z")
Is that how it is spelt, or is it “fuckin’ eh”, which is what I have allways assumed it was. [kiwi accent]Sumilar to the way a Kiwi funishes a suntince eh bro’?[/kiwi accent]\* Thus turning it into a rhetorical question. \*please dont take offence Kiwis. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![abdul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@abdul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abdul)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/33 "2003-03-02T01:52:21Z")
WAG = wild ass guess? Just guessing… ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/34 "2003-03-02T02:03:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by antechinus \* > \*\*Is that how it is spelt, or is it “fuckin’ eh”, which is what I have allways assumed it was. > > [kiwi accent]Sumilar to the way a Kiwi funishes a suntince eh bro’?[/kiwi accent]\* > > Thus turning it into a rhetorical question. > \*please dont take offence Kiwis. 🙂 \*\* We’ll try not to. We _really_ will. 🙂 And yes: WAG = “wild ass guess”. ---
**Author:** ![Angelofthemist68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Angelofthemist68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angelofthemist68)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2003, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/35 "2003-03-05T06:10:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*Well, we must live in alternate universes. I always hear it in the context of an insult. > > “What a fuckin’ A.” \*\* **I have always used “Fuckin A” as another way of saying"Right On"** 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mayray09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@mayray09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mayray09)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/36 "2011-10-28T00:42:00Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > I don’t think it does…Think about the context it’s used in. It is generally used as an agreement and not an insult. You frequently hear: > > “Check out the break in those waves, this is gonna be great!” > “Fuckin’ A bro!!” > > But you never hear: > > “You smell funny” > “You fucking a!” > See what I mean? ummm actually im very experienced on this phrase being as that i use it everyday and it is not used in agreement it is actually used from fustration and i say freaking a instead of fucking a but same thing anyway imma use ur example “You smell funny” “freakin a” YOU SEE WAHT I MEAN!!?? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/37 "2011-10-28T00:46:25Z")
Poster A: Worst zombie reanimation ever Joey P Agreeing with Poster A: Fuckin’ A! I had a friend that would respond to “Fucking A” with “Fuck a B, it has two holes” and then encourage the other person to continue through the alphabet with her to see how far they could make it without stopping. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/38 "2011-10-28T00:50:27Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > F a B, it has two holes. 😃 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/39 "2011-10-28T00:56:18Z")
I missed that post, as soon as I saw how old it was I just scrolled down to the bottom to see what brought it back to life. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2011, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990/40 "2011-10-28T01:02:48Z")
IME it can be used as either an ejaculation of happiness or of disappointment. “Fuckin’ A! She said she’d sleep with me!” (I am very pleased that she has done so) “Fuckin A! He came already!” (I am very displeased that he has done so.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/f-in-a/85990.md?page=3)