in the world
An intensifier used to emphasize surprise, shock, anger, disgust, etc. How in the world am I supposed to read this entire book in one week? What in the world were you thinking, driving across the state in the middle of the night? Just what in the world is going on here?
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
in the ˈworld
used to emphasize what you are saying: There’s nothing in the world I’d like more than to visit New York. ♢ Don’t rush — we’ve got all the time in the world.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
in the world
Used as an intensive: How in the world did they manage? I never in the world would have guessed.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.