hell
(hĕl)
[Middle English helle, from Old English.]
noun
- often Hell. The abode of condemned souls and devils in some religions; the place of eternal punishment for the wicked after death, presided over by Satan.
- A state of separation from God; exclusion from God's presence.
- The abode of the dead, identified with the Hebrew Sheol and the Greek Hades; the underworld.
- A situation or place of evil, misery, discord, or destruction: “War is hell” (William Tecumseh Sherman)
- Torment; anguish: went through hell on the job.
- The powers of darkness and evil.
- Informal One that causes trouble, agony, or annoyance: The boss is hell when a job is poorly done.
- A sharp scolding: gave the student hell for cheating.
- Informal Excitement, mischievousness, or high spirits: We did it for the sheer hell of it.
- A tailor's receptacle for discarded material.
- Printing A hellbox.
- Informal Used as an intensive: How the hell can I go? You did one hell of a job.
- Archaic A gambling house.
intransitive verb: helled, hell·ing, hells.
Informal- To behave riotously; carouse: out all night helling around.
interjection
- Used to express anger, disgust, or impatience.
idioms
- for the hell of it
- For no particular reason; on a whim: walked home by the old school for the hell of it.
- hell on
- Damaging or destructive to: Driving in a hilly town is hell on the brakes. Unpleasant to or painful for.
- hell or high water
- Troubles or difficulties of whatever magnitude: We're staying, come hell or high water.
- hell to pay
- Great trouble: If we're wrong, there'll be hell to pay.
- like hell
- Used as an intensive: He ran like hell to catch the bus. Used to express strong contradiction or refusal: He says he's going along with us—Like hell he is!
