hell of a
Idioms-
Also, one hell of a
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See devil of a .
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This phrase is used as an intensive to emphasize certain qualities about the noun it modifies. By itself the idiom is ambiguous, for its exact meaning depends on the context. For example, He is a hell of a driver can mean either that he is very skillful or that he is a terrible driver. Similarly, We had one hell of a time can mean either that we enjoyed ourselves greatly or that we had an awful or difficult time. [Second half of 1700s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I'd pursued the degrees, parented the hell outta my kid, then waited for the next stage—employment in my field—to come.
From Salon • Jan. 22, 2023
"All your lil homies got you...We love the hell outta you," the actor wrote along with a heart emoji at the end.
From Fox News • Nov. 29, 2021
"I strongly suggest you go pick up your friend and get them the hell outta there !!!!!"
From Fox News • Oct. 5, 2021
“Cookie scares the hell outta me, which I like,” says the actress, 44.
From Time • Jan. 7, 2015
My mother used to always joke with him and say, “Willie, God saved you just so you could torture the hell outta the rest of us? That don’t make no sense.”
From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
