hell

[ hel ]

/ hɛl /

noun

the place or state of punishment of the wicked after death; the abode of evil and condemned spirits; Gehenna or Tartarus.

any place or state of torment or misery: They made their father's life a hell on earth.

something that causes torment or misery: Having that cut stitched without anesthesia was hell.

the powers of evil.

the abode of the dead; Sheol or Hades.

extreme disorder or confusion; chaos: The children let both dogs into the house, and all hell broke loose.

Informal. something remarkable of its kind (usually used in the phrase a hell of a or one hell of a): That was one hell of a great game.

a receptacle into which a tailor throws scraps.

Also called hellbox. Printing. a box into which a printer throws discarded type.

the utterance of “hell” in swearing or for emphasis.

the hell, Informal.

(used as an intensifier to express surprise, anger, impatience, etc., often in the form of a question beginning with a WH-word): Why the hell can't the trains run on time? How the hell am I supposed to finish this by tomorrow?
(used sarcastically or ironically to express the opposite of what is being stated): Are you listening to me? The hell you are!

interjection

(used to express surprise, irritation, disgust, etc.)

Verb Phrases

hell around, Slang. to live or act in a wild or dissolute manner: All they cared about was drinking and helling around.

QUIZZES

DO YOU KNOW THIS VOCABULARY FROM "THE HANDMAID'S TALE"?

"The Handmaid's Tale" was required reading for many of us in school. Everyone else has probably watched the very popular and addictive TV show. Do you remember this vocabulary from the book, and do you know what these terms mean?

Question 1 of 10

decorum

the act of or need for making up one's mind.

dignified propriety of behavior, speech, dress, etc.

a company of singers, especially an organized group employed in church service.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms for hell

be hell on, Slang.

to be unpleasant to or painful for: These shoes are hell on my poor feet.
to be harmful to: These country roads are hell on tires.

for the hell of it, Informal.

to see what will happen; for adventure, fun, excitement, etc.: For the hell of it, let's just get on the next bus and see where it takes us.
with no particular purpose; for no special reason: I called him up for the hell of it, and he offered me a job.

get/catch hell, Slang. to suffer a scolding; receive a harsh reprimand: We'll get hell from our parents if we stay out late again.

give someone hell, Informal. to reprimand or reproach severely.

go to hell in a handbasket, Informal. handbasket(def 2).

hell on wheels, Slang. extremely demanding, fast-paced, aggressive, effective, or the like: The new job is hell on wheels. Our sales staff is hell on wheels when it comes to getting the most out of every account.

like hell, Informal.

with great speed, effort, intensity, etc.: We ran like hell to get home before the storm. She tried like hell to get him to change his mind.
(used sarcastically or ironically to express the opposite of what is being stated): He says the motor will never break down? Like hell it won't!

play hell with, Slang. to deal recklessly with; bring injury or harm to: Snowstorms played hell with the flow of city traffic.

raise hell, Slang.

to indulge in wild celebration.
to create an uproar; object violently to: She'll raise hell when she sees what your rabbit has done to her garden.

the/to hell with, Informal. (used to express dismissal, rejection, contempt, disappointment, or the like): If we have to walk five miles to see the view, the hell with it! He wouldn't even speak to me, so to hell with him!

what the hell, Informal. (used to express lack of concern or worry, indifference, abandonment, surrender, etc.): As long as you're borrowing $100, what the hell, borrow $200.

Origin of hell

before 900; Middle English, Old English hel(l); cognate with Old High German hell(i)a (German Hölle), Old Norse hel, Gothic halja; akin to Old English helan to cover, hide, and to hull²

SYNONYMS FOR hell

1 inferno.

2 anguish, agony, torture.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR hell ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR hell

1, 2 heaven, paradise.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR hell ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM hell

hell-like, adjective

Words nearby hell

helium, helium flash, helium i, helium ii, helix, hell, hell gate, hell has no fury like a woman scorned, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, hell of a, hell on wheels

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for what the hell

hell

/ (hɛl) /

noun

Christianity (sometimes capital)

the place or state of eternal punishment of the wicked after death, with Satan as its ruler
forces of evil regarded as residing there

(sometimes capital) (in various religions and cultures) the abode of the spirits of the deadSee also Hel, Hades, Sheol

pain, extreme difficulty, etc

informal a cause of such difficulty or sufferingwar is hell

US and Canadian high spirits or mischievousnessthere's hell in that boy

a box used by a tailor for discarded material

rare a gambling house, booth, etc

as hell (intensifier)tired as hell

for the hell of it informal for the fun of it

from hell informal denoting a person or thing that is particularly bad or alarmingneighbour from hell; hangover from hell

give someone hell informal

to give someone a severe reprimand or punishment
to be a source of annoyance or torment to someone

hell of a or helluva informal (intensifier)a hell of a good performance

hell for leather at great speed

hell or high water or come hell or high water informal whatever difficulties may arise

hell to pay informal serious consequences, as of a foolish action

like hell informal

(adverb) (intensifier)he works like hell
an expression of strong disagreement with a previous statement, request, order, etc

play hell with or play merry hell with informal to throw into confusion and disorder; disrupt

raise hell

to create a noisy disturbance, as in fun
to react strongly and unfavourably

the hell informal

(intensifier) used in such phrases as what the hell, who the hell, etc
an expression of strong disagreement or disfavour

the hell I will