- hell
- I UK [hel] / US
noun [uncountable] ***
1) Hell in some religions, the place where bad people are sent to suffer for ever when they die. The place where good people are believed to go is called Heaven.2) a situation that is extremely unpleasantabsolute/pure/sheer/utter hell:It's been hell trying to keep this secret for so long.
go through hell:For a sensitive child this ridicule can be sheer hell.
a living hell (= a very frightening or upsetting experience):She's been going through hell since her husband died.
put someone through hell:The past few days have been a living hell for both of us.
He's put us all through hell in the last few weeks.
•frighten/scare/beat/kick the hell out of someone
— informal to frighten or hurt someone very badlyIf you want to be shaken, this film will scare the hell out of you.
hell hath no fury (like a woman scorned)
— used for saying that a woman who cannot make someone love her can be extremely angryhell's bells/teeth
— old-fashioned used for showing anger or great surpriselook/feel like hell
— spoken to look or feel very ill or tirednot a hope/chance in hell
— informal no hope or chance at allNobody thought Harold Washington had a snowball's chance in hell of winning.
a/one hell of a
— spoken used for emphasizing what you are saying; spoken used for emphasizing how good something isIt must be a hell of a job trying to organize all this information.
Everyone thinks you're one hell of a guy.
play (merry) hell with
— informal to cause trouble for someone or somethingThe fog played merry hell with the traffic.
- as hellSee:bat I
II UK [hel] / US interjection informal1) used for showing that you are angry or annoyedHell, what have I done with that piece of paper?
2) mainly American used for emphasisHell, when was the last time he took a day off?
English dictionary. 2014.
