This has been bugging me for a while…

[EmilyMiller]

Is it, for fucks’ sake or for fuck’s sake.

I.e. is it for the sake of fucks or fuck?

Asking for a distressed author.

Emily

 

[samhasstories]

I've always thought of it as for fuck's sake, but it's a valid question. To me, this is the version of 'fuck' that's simply the beautifully versatile syllable, not necessarily signifying anything in particular. Same as when I say FUCK when I stub my toe I'm not necessarily referring to any particular fuck - noun or verb.

 

[BarracudaSwordfish]

I've always gone fuck's sake.

I use it a lot in writing and say it a lot more in polite conversation where the apostrophe doesn’t really matter.

Ffs always works nicely too.

 

[Sinstories]

according to Wiktionary....and of course anything Wiki is always right.... It's Fuck's sake.

For Fuck's Sake

 

[AG31]

Dunno, but it's a great question!

 

[AlinaX]

Didn't this get asked about five minutes ago?

ETA: Can't see it, but I'm sure it was.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

It's clearly a function of context: is it for the sake of more than one fuck, be they sexual or expletive, or a single fuck of either the sexual or the expletive mode? If the former, then it's "for fucks' sake;" if the latter, then "for fuck's sake" is the proper possessive form.

 

[samhasstories]

It's clearly a function of context: is it for the sake of more than one fuck, be they sexual or expletive, or a single fuck of either the sexual or the expletive mode? If the former, then it's "for fucks' sake;" if the latter, then "for fuck's sake" is the proper possessive form.

That makes sense. So a couple might cancel all their weekend plans for fucks' sake, but meet up on their lunch breaks for fuck's sake.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

That makes sense. So a couple might cancel all their weekend plans for fucks' sake, but meet up on their lunch breaks for fuck's sake.

Now you've got it!

 

[Britva415]

Fucksake, for fuck sake.

 

[Cagivagurl]

Is it, for fucks’ sake or for fuck’s sake.

I.e. is it for the sake of fucks or fuck?

Asking for a distressed author.

Emily

For the sake of fuck!

 

[StillStunned]

Huh, I always thought it referred to a kind of muscle cramp after overexertion. A four-fucks ache.

 

[jhealy55]

Hmmm

always thought that the only 's' sound came from 'sake', but never actually saw it written out.

Its always seemed like an involuntary verbal blurt of surprise or frustration that wouldn't necessarily get used in written form.

 

[jhealy55]

Huh, I always thought it referred to a kind of muscle cramp after overexertion. A four-fucks ache.

That would do it!

 

[EmilyMiller]

https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/for_fuck's_sake

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Yeah it’s for fuck’s sake, meaning the sake belonging to fuck, if I remember rightly from my kindergarten lessons!

Clearly, you had an entirely different kindergarten experience than me.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Well, it depends if that illustrious Japanese gentleman, Fuck (pronounced Foo-ka-ee), owns the bottle of sake or not.

 

[SimonDoom]

@EmilyMiller , this thread warmed my heart.

I don't know the answer and I'm not sure there is an official answer, but "For Fuck's sake" makes more sense to me. I think the important thing here is the concept of "fuck" rather than the quantity of "fucks."

 

[ElectricBlue]

For fuck's sake, you lot just need to use fuck correctly.

Australians are masters at the perversion and corruption of language, so I offer you the definitive, for fuck's sake. This does not need street dictionary, people, ffs.

 

[SimonDoom]

Clearly, you had an entirely different kindergarten experience than me.

And me.

I'm envious.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

For fuck's sake, you lot just need to use fuck correctly.

Australians are masters at the perversion and corruption of language, so I offer you the definitive, for fuck's sake. This does not need street dictionary, people, ffs.

What scares me is that this is turning into another AH-serious discussion.

Emily - haven’t we talked about this sort of thing before?

 

[alohadave]

Australians are masters at the perversion and corruption of language

No other culture uses nicknames quite like Aussies do.

 

[Djmac1031]

Is it, for fucks’ sake or for fuck’s sake.

I.e. is it for the sake of fucks or fuck?

Asking for a distressed author.

Emily

The way I see it, "fuck" is a replacement for a proper noun. And so "For fuck's sake" would be correct.

Just as if would work with "For God's sake."

Another example: "I hope for Jimmy's sake she gets back with the money on time."

 

[bestkeptsecret678]

That makes sense. So a couple might cancel all their weekend plans for fucks' sake, but meet up on their lunch breaks for fuck's sake.

Perfect use case of the options. Final answer.

 

[Devinter]

Mildly relevant. (It's a bottle of sake)