hell

noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old English helan to conceal, Old High German helan, Latin celare, Greek kalyptein Date: before 12th century 1. a. (1) a nether world in which the dead continue to exist ; Hades (2) the nether realm of the devil and the demons in which the damned suffer everlasting punishment — often used in curses <

go to hell

> or as a generalized term of abuse <

the hell with it

> b. Christian Science error 2b, sin 2. a. a place or state of misery, torment, or wickedness <

war is hell — W. T. Sherman

> b. a place or state of turmoil or destruction <

all hell broke loose

> c. a severe scolding; also flak, grief <

gave me hell for coming in late

> d. unrestrained fun or sportiveness <

the kids were full of hell

> — often used in the phrase for the hell of it especially to suggest action on impulse or without a serious motive <

decided to go for the hell of it

> e. an extremely unpleasant and often inescapable situation <

rush-hour hell

> 3. archaic a tailor's receptacle 4. — used as an interjection <

hell, I don't know!

> or as an intensive <

hurts like hell

> <

funny as hell

> — often used in the phrase hell of a <

it was one hell of a good fight

> or hell out of <

scared the hell out of him

> or with the or in <

moved way the hell up north

> <

what in hell is wrong, now?

>