hell
/hel/ (bre, ipa) · [hˈɛl] /hel/ (ame, ipa) · [hˈɛl] /ˈhel/ (ame, mw)
hell — noun
1. any situation or place that causes great suffering or hardship.
any situation or place that causes great suffering or hardship.
The traffic on the freeway this morning was pure hell for Takeshi.
pattern: it + be + pure hell
After the earthquake, life in the village became a living hell for months.
collocation: a living hell
Adisa said his first year as a night-shift nurse was absolute hell.
The six-hour written exam felt like hell on earth for most students.
Tamar and her family went through hell during the long drought.
- paradise
an extremely pleasant, enjoyable situation
用法筆記
Usually uncountable. Frequently paired with intensifiers such as 'absolute', 'pure', or 'living' to strengthen the meaning.
常見錯誤
2. in certain religions, an eternal place of punishment where wicked people are sen
in certain religions, an eternal place of punishment where wicked people are sent after death.
In many traditional stories, hell is described as a realm of fire and suffering.
collocation: a realm of fire and suffering
The pastor told the children that acts of kindness could keep a person out of hell.
pattern: keep [person] out of hell
Yara grew up hearing sermons about demons and flames in the fires of hell.
Ignacio said his grandmother prayed each night to save lost souls from hell.
- the underworld
less tied to a specific religion; more common in mythology and fantasy
- the inferno
formal or literary; emphasizes fire and punishment
- damnation
refers to the state of being condemned, not a physical place
- heaven
the place of eternal reward in many religions
用法筆記
Treated as a proper noun — used without an article (e.g. 'go to hell', 'sent to hell'). Often capitalized in religious writing.
常見錯誤
3. severe trouble, problems, or harsh treatment that one person directs at another.
severe trouble, problems, or harsh treatment that one person directs at another.
Reuben's supervisor gave him hell for arriving late to the meeting.
pattern: give [someone] hell for [something]
The children have been giving their babysitter hell all afternoon.
pattern: give [someone] hell
Ziad got hell from his parents for staying out past midnight.
The coach gave the team hell after they lost the championship match.
- grief
similar intensity and also appears in 'give someone grief'; slightly softer in tone
- a hard time
less strong; more neutral and less emotionally charged
- trouble
broader meaning; less specifically about verbal reprimand
用法筆記
Only appears in fixed expressions such as 'give someone hell' and 'get hell from someone'. Cannot be modified with adjectives or used freely as a countable noun.
常見錯誤
hell — exclamation
1. a swear word said to show strong anger, annoyance, or to make a statement more f
a swear word said to show strong anger, annoyance, or to make a statement more forceful.
Oh hell, I left my wallet on the kitchen counter again!
pattern: Oh hell + [admission of mistake]
Anna asked if she could join the hiking trip, and he shouted, "Hell, yes!"
pattern: Hell, yes! — strong agreement
What the hell are you doing with my bicycle?
Quinn refused to apologise and told his brother, "Hell no, that is not fair."
用法筆記
Considered a mild swear word. Avoid in formal writing, academic contexts, and polite conversation. Very common in everyday speech among friends and family.