# Fornication under consent of king
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fornication-under-consent-of-king/6926
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 8, 2000, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fornication-under-consent-of-king/6926 "2000-02-08T16:16:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@TrayJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TrayJay)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2000, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fornication-under-consent-of-king/6926/1 "2000-02-08T16:16:00Z")
I just heard this story that is too ridiculous to believe, and too ridiculous not to believe. It goes like this…In the medieval times when a married couple wanted to have a baby they first had to get the consent of the king. The king, upon consent gave them a wooden plaque to hang on their door with the letters F. U. C. K. standing for: Fornication Under Consent of King. Which is where which over the years has become to be known as a naughty word. Help me ou SD’ers, any truth to this? Cecil??
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### Author:  [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2000, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fornication-under-consent-of-king/6926/2 "2000-02-08T16:23:00Z")
Hello, **TreyJay** , and welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board. Our Fearless Leader, Cecil Adams, has indeed answered this question. It’s generally a good idea to check the [Archive](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/index.html) of Cecil’s columns before posing a question. [Here](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_268b.html) is a link to the column.
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Livin’ on Tums, vitamin E and Rogaine
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### Author:  [@Keeves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeves)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2000, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fornication-under-consent-of-king/6926/3 "2000-02-08T17:43:00Z")
try this one too: [http://www.snopes.com/spoons/fracture/fuck.htm](http://www.snopes.com/spoons/fracture/fuck.htm)
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### Author:  [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2000, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fornication-under-consent-of-king/6926/4 "2000-02-09T06:09:00Z")
For a general rule of thumb, remember this: whenever you hear the etymology of an older word that claims to be based on an acronym, its almost always bogus. VERY few words are truly based on acronyms, and those that are are of very recent vintage (within the last 100 years or so.)
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### Author:  [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2000, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fornication-under-consent-of-king/6926/5 "2000-02-09T06:11:00Z")
Like scuba and laser.
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### Author:  [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2000, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fornication-under-consent-of-king/6926/6 "2000-02-09T06:12:00Z")
So, is a FAQ “Fornication Against the Queen”?
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### Author:  [@Beauxeau\_IX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauxeau_IX)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2000, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fornication-under-consent-of-king/6926/7 "2000-02-08T22:31:00Z")
Don’t forget about Van Halen’s **F** or **U** nlawful [bC\*\*arnal **K** nowledge.
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### Author:  [@Beauxeau\_IX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beauxeau_IX)
#### Post date: [February 8, 2000, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fornication-under-consent-of-king/6926/8 "2000-02-08T22:32:00Z")
Oops!
**F** or **U** nlawful **C** arnal **K** nowledge.