hell

hell · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    In religious belief, a place of punishment for the wicked after death.

  2. 2.

    A state or place of great suffering or misery.

  3. 3.

    Used as an exclamation or intensifier expressing anger, frustration, or emphasis.

  4. 4.

    Used in various expressions for emphasis.

Forms

plural: hells

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    hell on earth — an extremely unpleasant situation
  • •
    go through hell — experience extreme difficulty or suffering
  • •
    when hell freezes over — never
  • •
    all hell broke loose — chaos erupted
  • •
    come hell or high water — no matter what obstacles arise
  • •
    raise hell — cause a disturbance
  • •
    give someone hell — severely criticize or punish someone

Related words

Antonyms: heaven, paradise
See also: damnation, devil, heaven, punishment
Synonyms: inferno, perdition, torment, underworld

Etymology

From Old English "hel" (abode of the dead, netherworld), from Proto-Germanic "haljō" (concealed place, underworld), from Proto-Indo-European "ḱel-" (to cover, hide). Related to Old Norse "Hel" (goddess of the underworld). The Christian concept of hell as a place of punishment was later superimposed on the original Germanic meaning.