What in the Sam Hill?

There is a story sometimes told (for example in Edwin Mitchell’s Encyclopedia of American Politics in 1946) that one Colonel Samuel Hill of Guilford, Connecticut, would often run for political office at some point in the early nineteenth century but always without success. Hence, “to run like Sam Hill” or “go like Sam Hill”. The problem is that nobody has found any trace of this monumentally unsuccessful candidate.

On the other hand, an article in the New England Magazine in December 1889 entitled Two Centuries and a Half in Guilford Connecticut mentioned that, “Between 1727 and 1752 Mr. Sam. Hill represented Guilford in forty-three out of forty-nine sessions of the Legislature, and when he was gathered to his fathers, his son Nathaniel reigned in his stead” and a footnote queried whether this might be the source of the “popular Connecticut adjuration to ‘Give ‘em Sam Hill’?” So the tale has long legs.

The expression has been known since the late 1830s. Despite the story, it seems to be no more than a personalised euphemism for “hell”.

This is an example of a swear word being changed into something that doesn’t sound like a swear word, so that it can be used in polite company. Doesn’t mean anything other than what it sounds like. Other examples: “sure as heckfire,” “Great Godfrey Daniels!”

Hi! No Idea, but I do use it on occasion… when needed… and I think it is known as “What In The Sam Hell” are you doing? in USA, but it’s used in all kinds of categroies! & in other parts of the world….

Ha! Love sayings like that! My favorite one is ‘goshdarnmotherfudgingsonofabiscutmaker!’

It’s the sanitized version of “what in the hell”.

Some other examples:

“Cheese and crackers!” (Jesus Christ)

“Gosh darn” or “goldarn”

“Shoot”

“Heck”

Its so country. lol

Lets put that phrase away.

idk

…isn’t it Sam Hell??