what the hell Definition

hell
noun

1. The place or state of infinite punishment for the wicked after death.

Thesaurus: abyss, Hades, inferno, nether world, Tophet, pandemonium, underworld, Gehenna, Styx, Acheron.
2. The abode of the dead and evil spirits.
3. Any place or state which causes extensive pain, misery and discomfort.

Thesaurus: torment, affliction, agony, anguish, misery, ordeal, suffering, torture, trial.

exclamation

colloq:
1. Expressing annoyance or exasperation.
2. An expression of strong disagreement or refusal

Example: The hell I will!
Form: the hell

Idiom: a hell of a ... (one hell of a ..., helluva, hellova ...)

colloq
A very great or significant ....
Example: one hell of a row

Idiom: all hell breaks loose (all hell is let loose)

There is chaos and uproar.

Idiom: as hell

Absolutely; extremely.
Example: He's as mad as hell

Idiom: beat the hell out of someone (knock the hell out of someone)

colloq
To beat them severely and violently.

Idiom: come hell or high water

colloq
No matter what problems or difficulties may arise.

Idiom: for the hell of it

colloq
For the fun or sake of it.
Thesaurus: playfully, whimsically, for the fun of it.

Idiom: from hell

Considered to be the most awful ever example of its kind.
Example: boyfriend from hell
Example: anorak from hell

Idiom: from hell

Considered to be the most awful ever example of its kind.
Example: boyfriend from hell
Example: anorak from hell

Idiom: give someone hell

To punish or rebuke them severely.

To make things extremely difficult for them.

Idiom: hell for leather

colloq
At an extremely fast pace.
Example: drove hell for leather to the airport

Idiom: hell to pay

Serious trouble or consequences.

Idiom: like hell

Very much; very hard or fast
Example: Like hell
Example: ran like hell

Idiom: not to have a cat in hell's chance

See under cat.

Idiom: not to have a hope in hell

To have absolutely no chance or hope at all.

Idiom: play hell with

See under play.

Idiom: raise hell

See under raise.

Idiom: to hell with someone or something

An expression of angry disagreement with them or it.

An intention to ignore or reject them or it.

Idiom: what the hell

What does it matter?; who cares?

An expression of surprise and amazement
Example: what the hell are you doing?

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon hel.

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what
adj, pronoun

1. Used in questions, indirect questions and statements, identifying, or seeking to identify or classify, a thing or person.

Example: What street are we in?
Example: Tell me what flowers these are
Example: I've just realized what man you meant
2. Used in exclamations expressing surprise, sympathy or other emotions

Example: What! You didn't pass?
Example: What a fool!
Example: What she has to put up with!
3. Used as a relative pronoun or adjective: that or those which; whatever; anything that.

Example: It is just what I thought
Example: They gave what money they could
4. Used to introduce a suggestion or new information

Example: I know what ― let's go to the zoo!
5. Used to ask for a repetition or confirmation of something said.

Example: What? I didn't catch what you said

adverb

1. Used in questions, indirect questions and statements: to how great an extent or degree?

Example: What does that matter?

Idiom: give someone what for

colloq
To scold or punish them.

Idiom: know what it is

To know and understand what is involved in a particular action or experience; to have experienced or suffered it.
Example: He knows what it is to be bullied

Idiom: know what's what

colloq
To know what really goes on or what counts, etc; to know the truth of the matter.

Idiom: so what? (what of it?)

colloq
Why is that important?

Idiom: what about ...?

An expression used to make a suggestion or ask an opinion, etc
Example: What about stopping for a drink first?

Idiom: what else?

Could anything else be the case?

Idiom: what ... for?

For what reason ...? to what purpose ...?
Example: What did you do that for?

Idiom: what have you

colloq
Other such things; whatnot.
Example: CDs, records, tapes or what have you

Idiom: what if ...?

What would it matter if ...?
Example: What if she did leave for good?

What would happen if ...?
Example: What if he doesn't come back?

Idiom: what is more (what's more)

More to the point ...; in addition ....
Example: They came, and what's more, they stayed all evening

Idiom: what ... like?

A request for a description or opinion on someone or something
Example: What does he look like?
Example: What was the theatre like?

Idiom: what next?

Often said in despair: what is to be done next? what will happen next?

Idiom: what now?

What can be done now? what other options are there?

What is the meaning of this latest interruption? what is wrong now?

Idiom: what of ...?

What comes or follows from ...?

What is the news of ...?

Idiom: what of it?

See so what? above.

Idiom: what the hell

An expression of indifference or abandoned caution.
Example: Oh what the hell, I'll buy both of them

Idiom: what then?

What would be the consequence?

Idiom: what's new?

Tell me the latest news.

There's nothing new about that!
Example: She's drunk again. So what's new!

Idiom: what's up?

What's the matter? is something wrong?

Idiom: what's with ...?

colloq
What's the matter with ...?

Idiom: what with

Because of ...; taking account of ....
Example: We were exhausted, what with the delays and everything

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon hwæt.

Info:

○ What and which may both be used when asking questions about a choice, as in &wbox; although which generally implies a choice from a known or limited number of options, whereas what is used when the choice is unlimited or unspecified.

○ Take care not to add a what after than in comparative constructions such as&wbox; . What should only follow than when it means ‘that which' or ‘the things which', as in&wbox; .