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hell `noun` [ hɛl ]

• a place regarded in various religions as a spiritual realm of evil and suffering, often traditionally depicted as a place of perpetual fire beneath the earth where the wicked are punished after death.

• "irreligious children were assumed to have passed straight to the eternal fires of hell"

Similar: the netherworld, the land/abode of the dead, the infernal regions, the Inferno, the nether regions, the abyss, the abode of the damned, eternal damnation, eternal punishment, perdition, hellfire, fire and brimstone, Gehenna, Tophet, Abaddon, Sheol, Hades, Tartarus, Acheron, Avernus, Niflheim, the pit, the shades, the lower world,

Opposite: heaven,

hell `exclamation`

• used for emphasis or to express anger, contempt, or surprise.

• "oh, hell—where will this all end?"

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’.

in hell

• used for emphasis.

• "what in hell have you got there?"

all hell breaks loose

• suddenly there is pandemonium.
"the power cut out and all hell broke loose"

as — as hell

• possessing the specified quality to a high degree (used for emphasis).
"he's as guilty as hell"

be hell on

• be very unpleasant or harmful to.
"summer can be hell on your skin"

come hell or high water

• whatever difficulties may occur.
"he confirmed that, come hell or high water, he will make his first trip to Scotland in November"

for the hell of it

• just for fun.
"she walked on window ledges for the hell of it"

— from hell

• an extremely unpleasant or troublesome example of something.
"neighbours from hell"

get hell

• be severely reprimanded.
"Paul kept his mouth shut and looked apologetic—we got hell"

get the hell out of

• withdraw quickly from (a place).
"let's all get the hell out of here"

give someone hell

• severely reprimand or make things very unpleasant for someone.
"I gave him hell"

go to hell

• used to express angry rejection of someone or something.
"you can go to hell"

go to hell and back

• endure an extremely unpleasant or difficult experience.
"he's been to hell and back since he was publicly blamed for Saturday's home defeat"

hell for leather

• as fast as possible.
"I tore hell for leather out of my garage"

hell's bells

• an exclamation of annoyance or anger.
"Hell's bells, Don, you're being unreasonable!"

hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

• a woman who has been rejected by a man can be ferociously angry and vindictive.

a hell of a —

• used to emphasize something very bad or great.
"the car cost a hell of a lot of money"

— the hell out of

• used in verbal phrases to emphasize force, speed, etc.
"these people scare the hell out of me"

hell's half acre

• a great distance.

hell, west, and crooked

• all over the place.
"she's running hell, west, and crooked"

in hell

• used for emphasis.
"what in hell have you got there?"

like hell

• very much (used for emphasis).
"my head hurts like hell"

play hell

• create havoc.
"the kids play merry hell until she tells them to go to bed at once"

the road to hell is paved with good intentions

• promises and plans must be put into action, otherwise they are useless.

there will be hell to pay

• serious trouble will occur as a result of a previous or proposed action.
"when I got it wrong, there would be hell to pay"

to hell

• used for emphasis.
"damn it to hell"

to hell with

• expressing one's scorn or lack of concern for (someone or something).

until hell freezes over

• until some time in the impossibly distant future; forever.
"they'll have to wait until hell freezes over"

what the hell

• it doesn't matter.
"you're already going to be home late, so what the hell"

be hell on wheels

• cause great difficulty or trouble.
"the new boss was hell on wheels"