hell

[[t]he̱l[/t]]

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hells

1) N-PROPER; N-COUNT In some religions, hell is the place where the Devil lives, and where wicked people are sent to be punished when they die. Hell is usually imagined as being under the ground and full of flames.

2) N-VAR (emphasis) If you say that a particular situation or place is hell, you are emphasizing that it is extremely unpleasant.

...the hell of the Siberian labor camps...

Bullies can make your life hell.

...the hells of grief and shame and lost love.

Syn:

torture

3) EXCLAM (emphasis) Hell is used by some people when they are angry or excited, or when they want to emphasize what they are saying. This use could cause offence.

`Hell, no!' the doctor snapped.

4) PHRASE: adj PHR (emphasis) You can use as hell after adjectives or some adverbs to emphasize the adjective or adverb. [INFORMAL]

The men might be armed, but they sure as hell weren't trained...

I am angry as hell.

5) PHRASE: oft v-link PHR (emphasis) If you say that a place or a situation is hell on earth or a hell on earth, you are emphasizing that it is extremely unpleasant or that it causes great suffering.

Very longstanding couples have relationships that are worth celebrating, even if their years together have been hell on earth.

Syn:

living hell

6) PHRASE: usu PHR with cl, PHR after v, n PHR If someone does something for the hell of it, or just for the hell of it, they do it for fun or for no particular reason. [INFORMAL]

I started shouting in German, just for the hell of it...

It was stupid, just vandalism for the hell of it.

Syn:

for fun, for kicks

7) PHRASE: PHR after v (emphasis) If you say that you will do something until hell freezes over, you are emphasizing that you will do it for a very long time or for ever.

He says he'll sit there until hell freezes over before he'll pay them one cent.

8) PHRASE: n PHR (emphasis) You can use from hell after a noun when you are emphasizing that something or someone is extremely unpleasant or evil. [INFORMAL]

He's a child from hell...

She is the bitch from hell.

...the holiday from hell.

9) PHRASE: V inflects (emphasis) If you say that someone gives you hell, you are emphasizing that they shout at you very angrily because of something you have done wrong. [INFORMAL]

My father saw this in the newspaper and he gave me absolute hell.

10) PHRASE: V inflects (emphasis) If you say that something is giving you hell, you are emphasizing that it is causing you a lot of trouble or pain.

My back's giving me hell, let me tell you!...

The children give her hell, particularly the older boys.

11) PHRASE (feelings) If you tell someone to go to hell, you are angrily telling them to go away and leave you alone. [INFORMAL, RUDE]

`Well, you can go to hell!' He swept out of the room.

Syn:

get lost

12) PHRASE (emphasis) If you say that someone can go to hell, you are emphasizing angrily that you do not care about them and that they will not stop you doing what you want. [INFORMAL, RUDE]

Peter can go to hell. It's my money and I'll leave it to who I want...

I'm going to do as I please and let e̱m all go to hell.

Syn:

get lost

13) PHRASE: usu v PHR (emphasis) If you say that someone is going hell for leather, you are emphasizing that they are doing something or are moving very quickly and perhaps carelessly. [INFORMAL]

The first horse often goes hell for leather, hits a few fences but gets away with it...

They've been going hell for leather, trying to record as much as they can.

14) PHRASE: usu PHR cl (emphasis) Some people say like hell to emphasize that they strongly disagree with you or are strongly opposed to what you say. [INFORMAL]

`I'll go myself.' - `Like hell you will!'

15) PHRASE: PHR after v (emphasis) Some people use like hell to emphasize how strong an action or quality is. [INFORMAL]

It hurts like hell...

I missed her like hell.

16) PHRASE: v-link PHR (emphasis) If you describe a place or situation as a living hell, you are emphasizing that it is extremely unpleasant. [INFORMAL]

School is a living hell for some children.

17) PHRASE: V inflects (emphasis) If you say that all hell breaks loose, you are emphasizing that a lot of arguing or fighting suddenly starts. [INFORMAL]

He had an affair, I found out and then all hell broke loose.

18) PHRASE: usu PHR of n/-ing (emphasis) If you talk about a hell of a lot of something, or one hell of a lot of something, you mean that there is a large amount of it. [INFORMAL]

The manager took a hell of a lot of money out of the club.

19) PHRASE: PHR n (emphasis) Some people use a hell of or one hell of to emphasize that something is very good, very bad, or very big. [INFORMAL]

Whatever the outcome, it's going to be one hell of a fight.

20) PHRASE: V inflects, oft PHR of n (emphasis) If you tell someone to get the hell out of a place, you are telling them angrily or emphatically to leave that place immediately. [INFORMAL, RUDE]

Get the hell out of my way...

I got the hell out of Glasgow and I can honestly say I will never go back.

Syn:

a helluva

21) PHRASE: v PHR n (emphasis) Some people use the hell out of for emphasis after verbs such as `scare', `irritate', and `beat'. [INFORMAL]

I patted the top of her head in the condescending way I knew irritated the hell out of her...

Those cops beat the hell out of me.

22) PHRASE: V inflects (emphasis) If you say there'll be hell to pay, you are emphasizing that there will be serious trouble. [INFORMAL]

There would be hell to pay when Ferguson and Tony found out about it.

23) PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR with n To play hell with something means to have a bad effect on it or cause great confusion. In British English, you can also say that one person or thing plays merry hell with another. [INFORMAL]

Lord Beaverbrook, to put it bluntly, played hell with the war policy of the R.A.F...

Slugs play merry hell with emerging shoots.

24) PHRASE: V inflects (emphasis) If you say that someone raises hell, you are emphasizing that they protest strongly and angrily about a situation in order to persuade other people to correct it or improve it. [INFORMAL]

She came in and raised hell. Her son's sports bag was missing...

The only way to preserve democracy is to raise hell about its shortcomings.

25) PHRASE: quest PHR (emphasis) People sometimes use the hell for emphasis in questions, after words such as `what', `where', and `why', often in order to express anger. [INFORMAL, RUDE]

Where the hell have you been?...

Why the hell should I know about Dadinha?...

What the hell's going on?

Syn:

on earth

26) PHRASE: V inflects If you go through hell, or if someone puts you through hell, you have a very difficult or unpleasant time. [INFORMAL]

All of you seem to have gone through hell making this record...

I put Brian through hell.

27) PHRASE: V inflects, PHR that (emphasis) If you say you hope to hell or wish to hell that something is true, you are emphasizing that you strongly hope or wish it is true. [INFORMAL]

I hope to hell you're right.

28) PHRASE: usu PHR after v (emphasis) If you say that you will do something come hell or high water, you are emphasizing that you are determined to do it, in spite of the difficulties involved.

I've always managed to get into work come hell or high water.

29) PHRASE (feelings) You can say `what the hell' when you decide to do something in spite of the doubts that you have about it. [INFORMAL]

What the hell, I thought, at least it will give the lazy old man some exercise.

30) PHRASE: PHR n (emphasis) If you say `to hell with' something, you are emphasizing that you do not care about something and that it will not stop you from doing what you want to do. [INFORMAL]

To hell with this, I'm getting out of here...

To hell with grades and qualifications.