the utter, that which is utter or extreme; = uttermost, n. 4, utmost, n. 2 2b rare.

Something forcible or effective; esp. something very big; a ‘whopper’. colloquial or slang; now rare or local. Cf. swingeing, adj. 2.

a devil of a —— (also the devil of a ——): a diabolical example or specimen of a ——; a —— of a diabolical, detestable, or intensely irritating kind…

Anything ‘thumping’ or strikingly big of its kind, esp. a ‘thumping’ lie; a ‘whopper’, ‘whacker’: cf. bouncer, n. 3 4 colloquial.

slang or colloquial. Something great or excessive, a ‘whopper’ (cf. whisking, adj. 2); esp. a great lie, a ‘bang’. Now rare or Obsolete.

a (also the, one) hell of a ——: a terrible ——; an exceedingly bad (also great, loud, etc.) ——; cf. a devil of a —— at devil, n. phrases 1g, helluva…

Something very big; a ‘whopper’; spec. a ‘thumping’ lie. slang or dialect.

dialect and colloquial. Anything exceptionally large or fine; a person, animal, or thing of superior quality or character.

Something uncommonly large of its kind; a very big thing, animal, or person. (Cf. thumper, n. 3, whacker, n. 2.)

Anything abnormally large of its kind; esp. a ‘thumping’ lie; a ‘whopper’.

Chiefly Scottish and English regional (northern). An exceptionally large or impressive example or specimen of something; = whopper, n. 1.

An extreme amount, degree, or limit.

slang. Something ‘crying’, ‘clamant’, or excessive; spec. a glaring blunder, esp. in an examination, etc. Cf. howling, adj. 3.

Following a verb (often a modal auxiliary) and pronoun in inverted interrogative construction, as does it hell, etc.