/ hel; NAmE / noun
1.
[ sing. ] (usually Hell ) (used without a or the ) in some religions, the place believed to be the home of devils and where bad people go after death
2.
[ U , sing. ] a very unpleasant experience or situation in which people suffer very much :
The last three months have been hell.
He went through hell during the trial.
Her parents made her life hell.
Being totally alone is my idea of hell on earth .
3.
[ U ] a swear word that some people use when they are annoyed or surprised or to emphasize sth. Its use is offensive to some people :
Oh hell, I've burned the pan.
What the hell do you think you are doing?
Go to hell!
I can't really afford it, but, what the hell (= it doesn't matter) , I'll get it anyway.
He's as guilty as hell.
( NAmE )
'Do you understand?' 'Hell, no. I don't.'
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IDIOMS
- all hell broke loose
- beat / kick (the) hell out of sb/sth | knock hell out of sb/sth
- (just) for the hell of it
- from hell
- get the hell out (of ... )
- give sb hell
- go to hell in a handbasket
- hell for leather
- hell hath no fury (like a woman scorned)
- (come) hell or high water
- Hell's teeth
- like hell
- a / one hell of a ... | a / one helluva ...
- play (merry) hell with sth/sb
- scare, annoy, etc. the hell out of sb
- to hell and back
- to hell with sb/sth
—more at bat noun , cat , catch verb , hope noun , pay verb , raise verb , road , snowball noun
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English hel , hell , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hel and German Hölle , from an Indo-European root meaning to cover or hide.