hell

hell [hel]

n.

[ME helle < OE hel (akin to Ger hölle, hell & ON Hel, the underworld goddess, HEL) < base of helan, to cover, hide < IE base * k̑el-, to hide, cover up > L celare, to hide]

1. [often H-] Bible the place where the spirits of the dead are: identified with SHEOL and HADES

2. [often H-] Theol.

a) a state or place of woe and anguish, arrived at by the wicked after death; specif., esp. in Christian theology, the state or place of total and final separation from God and so of eternal misery and suffering, arrived at by those who die unrepentant in grave sin

b) popularly this state or place as the abode of Satan and of all other devils and of all the damned

c) those in hell

d) the powers of hell, evil, etc.

3. any place or condition of evil, pain, disorder, cruelty, etc.

4. Informal

a) any extremely disagreeable, unsettling, or punishing treatment or experience, or the cause or source of this

b) devilish spirits or excitement [full of hell]

vi.

Slang to live or act in a reckless or dissolute way: often with around

interj.

used to express irritation, anger, etc.: As profanity, hell is also widely used interjectionally in various combinations to express irritation, anger, etc. [hell, no! ], and in various ways, esp. after in or the, to express surprise, disbelief, disgust, etc. [ who in hell is he? what the hell ! ]

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as hell

Slang as can be; to the highest degree; extremely

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☆ be hell on Slang

1. to be very difficult or painful for

2. to be very strict or severe with

3. to be very destructive or damaging to

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catch hell or get hell

Slang to receive a severe scolding, punishment, etc.

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for the hell of it

Slang for no serious reason

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☆ hell of a

Slang very much of a

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like hell Slang

1. very bad; awful

2. very much

3. very fast; quickly