Hell /hel/

1. The place of the dead in general
2. The place or state of punishment of the wicked after death
3. The abode of evil spirits
4. The powers of Hell
5. (the following meanings without cap) any place of vice or misery
6. A place of turmoil
7. (a state of) supreme misery or discomfort
8. Anything causing misery, pain or destruction
9. Ruin, havoc
10. Commotion, uproar
11. Severe censure or chastisement
12. Used in various colloquial phrases expressing displeasure, emphasis, etc (as in what in hell?, get the hell out of here, I wish to hell he'd go away)
13. A gambling house
14. A space under a tailor's board, or other receptacle for waste
15. The den in certain games

Expressing displeasure or used for mildly shocking effect

To live or act in a wild or dissolute fashion (usu with around)

hellˈer noun

An obstreperous troublesome person

hellion /helˈyən/ noun

1. A troublesome, mischievous child, or other troublesome person (esp US; informal; possibly related to hallion)
2. Someone given to diabolical conduct

hellˈish adjective

1. Relating to or like hell
2. Very bad, severe, etc
3. Often used to express displeasure (informal)

hellˈish or hellˈishly adverb

1. In the manner of hell
2. Often used intensively (informal)

hellˈishness noun

hellˈova or hellˈuva adjective (informal)

Hell of a (see below)

Very

hellˈward adjective and adverb

Towards hell

hellˈwards adverb

hellˈbender noun

1. A large American salamander
2. A reckless or debauched person

hellˈ-bent adjective

(with on) recklessly determined

adverb

With reckless determination

hellˈ-black adjective (Shakespeare)

Black as hell

hellˈ-born adjective

1. Born in hell
2. Of hellish origin

hellˈ-box noun

A receptacle for broken type

hellˈ-bred adjective

hellˈ-broth noun (Shakespeare)

A concoction boiled up for malignant purposes

hellˈcat noun

1. A malignant hag
2. A violent-tempered woman

hellˈ-fire or hellˈfire noun

1. The fire of hell
2. Punishment in hell

hellˈ-gate noun

The entrance into hell

hellˈ-hated adjective (Shakespeare)

Hated or abhorred as hell

hellˈhole noun

1. The pit of hell
2. An evil, frightening place

hellˈhound noun

1. A hound of hell
2. An agent of hell

hellˈ-kite noun (Shakespeare)

A kite of infernal breed

hellˈraiser noun

A person who enjoys boisterous debauchery

hellˈraising noun and adjective

hell's angel noun

(often with cap) a member of a gang of motorcyclists, orig notorious for violent or antisocial behaviour

hell's bells, teeth, etc interjection (informal)

Expressions of irritation, surprise, etc

The following phrases are all informal:

There is chaos or uproar

as hell

1. Absolutely
2. Very

beat, kick, knock, etc (the) hell out of

To beat, etc severely

come hell or high water

No matter what difficulties may be encountered

for the hell of it

For fun or adventure

from hell

Considered to be the worst of their kind, as in neighbours from hell

give someone hell

1. To punish, castigate or rebuke someone severely
2. To cause someone pain or misery

hell for leather

At a furious pace

hell of a

Great, terrific, very, as in at a hell of a speed, a hell of a row

hell to pay

Serious trouble, unpleasant consequences

like hell

1. Very much, very hard, very fast, etc
2. (also the hell or hell) used to express strong disagreement or refusal (as in like hell I will!, the hell I will!, will I hell!)

not have a cat in hell's chance see under cat¹

not have a hope in hell

To have no hope at all

play hell with see under play

raise hell see under raise¹

• albescent
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• albespyne
• albespynes
• albicore
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• Albigenses
• Albigensian
• Albigensianism
• albiness
• albinesses
• albinic
• albinism
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• albinistic
• albino
• albinoism
• albinoisms
• albinos
• albinotic
• Albion
• albite
• albites
• albitic