ecsarcise 30

"What the frig makes you friggers want to frig with this?"
- Roots Manuva, Clockwork

Fuck (foc, feck, frick, frig, frack, frag - whatever your euphemism of choice) is such a versatile word. In those lyrics above it is used with 3 different meanings: Two types of noun and a verb. And I doubt that anyone would say they don't know what it means.

Try finding any other random word that is as flexible and meaningful.

What the soap makes you soapers want to soap with this?

Nah.

Try a word that at least works in one context.

What the mess makes you messers want to mess with this?

No again.

And no other expletive can do it:

What the hell makes you hellers want to hell with this?

The F word rules. It's so useful for so many occasions.
It's "one of the few 'universal' words that can be uttered in any country in the world and yet be understood by anyone." (Wikipedia).
Dictionary.com gives it 13 different meanings and/or usages including really handy verb phrases like "fuck up" and "I'm fucked if I know".
Bill Bryson writes "After O.K., Fuck must be about the most versatile of all English words."
It's given birth to lovely acronyms like fubar (fucked up beyond all recognition).

And yet, it is far surpassed by the humble set. According to Bryson, it has "58 uses as a noun, 126 as a verb and 10 as a participial adjective. Its meanings are so various and scattered that it takes the OED 60,000 words - the length of a short novel - to discuss them all."

Nevertheless, does this make any sense?:

What the set makes you setters want to set with this?

Fuck No!