dickens
/ˈdɪkɪnz/noun
in sing.
1- informal, dated used for emphasis, euphemistically invoking the Devil〈非正式, 旧, 婉〉［用于加重语气］着魔：
they work like the dickens
他们着了魔似的工作
she was in a dickens of a rush.
她要命似的急急忙忙。
1.1
the dickens
used when asking questions to express annoyance or surprise［用于问句中表示恼怒或吃惊］究竟, 到底：what the dickens is going on?
到底发生了什么事？
词源
late 16th cent.: probably a use of the surname Dickens.