Green’s Dictionary of Slang

an excl. of surprise, annoyance, wonder etc.; also as n. in phrs. such as what the fucking hell...

c.1918		‘Cats on the Rooftops’ in Bold (1979) 48: Old Brer Terrapin in his shell / Can’t get at it very well / But when he does — Coo! Fucking hell!
c.1920		‘Blind Nell’ in Bold (1979) 26: Can she see the stars above? / Can she fucking hell.
1934		B. Traven Death Ship 353: Funking hell, I don’t know what is the matter with me.
1946		K. Amis letter 12 Mar. in Leader (2000) 47: I can’t see why the fucky nell they can’t do reissues.
1953		W. Brown Monkey On My Back (1954) 83: What the f---- hell you want of me?
1963		C. Wood ‘Prisoner and Escort’ in Cockade (1965) I iii: ‘Kin ’ll – ’kin ’ll. Shut it.
1977		S. Berkoff East in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 50: Oink and assholes fucking hell!
1981		T. Wilkinson Down and Out 32: Fucking hell, I must have fallen asleep.
1986		R.G. Barrett Godson 18: ‘What the fuckin’ hell are you doing here?’.
1988		R. Doyle Commitments 77: I’ve got us a venue for our first gig. – Fuckin’ great! – When? – Tomorrow week. – Fuckin’ hell!
1996		Sun. Trib. (Dublin) 24 Mar. n.p.: Oh, shaggin’ hell.
1999		Observer Mag. 20 June 60: Fucking hell, I’d get the Tube.
1999		K. Sampson Powder 20: They just keep walking over and catching your eye and, fuckinell, I’m telling you, there is some tott out there!
2000		T. Udo Vatican Bloodbath 93: Fucking hell, O’Brian! You’ve just blown the Pope’s arse off!
2001		K. Sampson Outlaws (ms.) 44: Fuckinell — she speaks!