hell
hell Lexical Profile
hell Game Scores & Validity
• noun
In various religions and mythologies, a spiritual realm of evil and suffering, often depicted as a place of perpetual fire beneath the earth where the wicked are punished after death.
"In Dante's famous poem, the poet is guided through the nine circles of hell."
A state, place, or situation of extreme misery, torment, or unpleasantness.
"Commuting through the city center during the summer roadworks was absolute hell."
Severe reprimand, angry criticism, or disruptive trouble (used informally in phrases such as 'give someone hell' or 'raise hell').
"The coach gave the players hell for their lack of effort in the first half."
• interjection
Used to express anger, surprise, annoyance, or strong emphasis.
"Oh hell, I forgot my keys inside the house again."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the specific theological or mythological place of eternal punishment, 'Hell' is often capitalized, whereas metaphorical and informal uses are written in lowercase.
• Rhymes for hell
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'hell', traced back to Proto-Germanic '*haljō' (the underworld, literally 'concealed place'), related to the Old Norse goddess of the underworld, Hel, and ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root '*kel-' meaning 'to cover or conceal'.