A situation suddenly becomes very noisy, chaotic, or violent.
When the teacher left the room, all hell broke loose.
Did all hell break loose after the announcement?
To hit someone or something very hard and repeatedly.
The boxer beat the hell out of his opponent in the ring.
The storm kicked hell out of the old barn.
To annoy someone extremely.
That constant tapping bugs the hell out of me.
Does the noise bug the hell out of you too?
To be punished or scolded severely.
If Mom sees this mess, I'll catch hell.
He caught hell from his boss for being late.
Serious trouble or consequences that will happen.
If we miss the deadline, there'll be hell to pay.
There will be the devil to pay if he finds out.
Doing something just for fun or without a good reason.
We drove to the coast just for the hell of it.
He painted his room purple for the hell of it.
Used to describe the worst possible person or thing of a kind.
Our new neighbor is the neighbor from hell.
This traffic jam is the commute from hell.
To leave a place very quickly, often because of danger or anger.
We need to get the hell out of this building now.
Get the hell out of my room!
To cause someone a lot of trouble, pain, or difficulty.
My little brother gave me hell all weekend.
These shoes are giving me hell; they hurt so much.
To become very bad or decline rapidly.
Since the new manager came, the company has gone to hell in a handbasket.
This neighborhood is going to hell in a handbasket.
As fast as possible; at top speed.
The rider went hell for leather down the track.
She ran hell for leather to catch the bus.
Used to say that a woman can be extremely angry when rejected or betrayed.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, as they say.
After he left her, hell hath no fury; she ruined his reputation.
Used to emphasize that something is very good, bad, big, etc.
We had a hell of a time at the party last night.
That was one hell of a storm; it knocked down trees.
No matter what difficulties or obstacles arise.
I will finish this project, come hell or high water.
She promised to be there, hell or high water.
An exclamation of anger or surprise.
Hell's teeth! I forgot my keys again.
Hell's teeth, that was a close call!
Moving extremely fast.
The car sped away like a bat out of hell.
He ran like a bat out of hell when he heard the alarm.
Used to emphasize that something is done with great effort or intensity, or to express strong denial.
She worked like hell to finish on time.
My head hurts like hell after that fall.
To have absolutely no possibility of success.
He doesn't have a cat in hell's chance of winning the race.
Without a map, we stand a cat in hell's chance of finding the place.
To have no chance at all of achieving something.
She doesn't have a hope in hell of passing the exam.
They don't have a hope of winning the championship.
To have no chance at all of succeeding.
He doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting the job.
That team has a snowball's chance in hell of winning.
To cause serious damage or problems to something or someone.
The cold weather played hell with the crops.
His constant lateness played merry hell with the schedule.
To protest or complain very angrily, often causing trouble.
The students raised hell when the rules changed.
She raised hell with the manager about the poor service.
Good intentions alone are not enough; you must actually do good things.
He meant to help, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Remember, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.
To frighten or annoy someone extremely.
That loud noise scared the hell out of me.
His constant humming annoys the hell out of his sister.
Through a very difficult or painful experience.
They went to hell and back during the war.
She has been to hell and back with her illness.
Used to express anger or rejection, saying you no longer care about someone or something.
To hell with the rules; I'm doing it my way.
To hell with him; I don't need his approval.