{
    "term": "hell",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the place believed to be the home of devils and where bad people go after death",
            "sensetop": "in hell",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He was terrified of **going to hell** when he died."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They were threatened with spending eternity in hell.",
                    "contextForm": "in hell"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Lava poured out of the volcano, glowing like the fires of hell."
                },
                {
                    "text": "tormented souls in hell"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Religion and festivals"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["eternal"],
                "verb + hell": ["go to"],
                "hell + noun": ["fire"],
                "preposition": ["in hell"],
                "phrases": ["the fires of hell", "the flames of hell"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a very unpleasant experience or situation in which people suffer very much",
            "sensetop": "in hellhell for somebodyit is hell doing something",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The last three months have been hell."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He **went through hell** during the trial."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her parents **made her life hell**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Being totally alone is my idea of **hell on earth**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He was in a hell of his own making."
                },
                {
                    "text": "For the last few weeks my whole family has been in hell because of this.",
                    "contextForm": "in hell"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Since she moved in, life has been hell for the other residents.",
                    "contextForm": "hell for somebody"
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was hell getting through airport security.",
                    "contextForm": "it is hell doing something"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'm never going to escape this hell."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It was sheer hell having to sit through hours of boring lectures!"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["absolute", "pure", "sheer"],
                "verb + hell": ["endure", "go through", "give somebody"],
                "preposition": ["in hell"],
                "phrases": ["the… from hell", "hell on earth"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a swear word that some people use when they are annoyed or surprised or to emphasize something. Its use is offensive to some people.",
            "labels": "(North American English)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Oh hell, I've burned the pan."
                },
                {
                    "text": "What the hell do you think you are doing?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Go to hell!"
                },
                {
                    "text": "I can't really afford it, but, what the hell *(= it doesn't matter)*, I'll get it anyway."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He's as guilty as hell."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Do you understand?’ ‘Hell, no. I don't.’"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "suddenly there was a lot of noise, arguing, fighting, etc.",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "There was a loud bang and then all hell broke loose."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Opinion and argument"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to hit somebody/something very hard",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He was a dirty player and loved to kick hell out of the opposition."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to annoy somebody very much",
            "labels": "(offensive, slang)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The song just bugs the hell out of me."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to be punished or spoken to angrily about something",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "If your dad finds out you'll really catch hell!"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "a lot of trouble",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "There'll be hell to pay when he finds out."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "just for fun; for no real reason",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They stole the car just for the hell of it."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to describe a very unpleasant person or thing; the worst that you can imagine",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They are the neighbours from hell."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It really was the holiday from hell—it rained all the time, we all got colds, and we missed the plane home."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She's the girlfriend from hell—I don't know why he puts up with her."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to leave a place very quickly",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Let's get the hell out of here."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "to make life unpleasant for somebody",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "He used to give his mother hell when he was a teenager."
                },
                {
                    "text": "My new shoes are giving me hell *(= are hurting me)*."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "to shout at or speak angrily to somebody",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Dad will give us hell when he sees that mess."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to get into a very bad state",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "This firm's gone to hell in a handbasket since the new management took over."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "as quickly as possible",
            "labels": "(British English, old-fashioned, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to ride hell for leather"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to refer to somebody, usually a woman, who has reacted very angrily to something, especially the fact that her husband or partner has been unfaithful",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to give emphasis to what a person is saying",
            "labels": "(slang)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The firm was in a hell of a mess when he took over."
                },
                {
                    "text": "This holiday is going to cost a hell of a lot of money."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It must have been one hell of a party."
                },
                {
                    "text": "It’s taken him a hell of a long time to get here."
                },
                {
                    "text": "That's one helluva big house you've got."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "despite any difficulties",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I was determined to go, come hell or high water."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to express anger or surprise",
            "labels": "(British English, old-fashioned, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Hell’s teeth, I promised I’d be back by two."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "very fast",
            "labels": "(old-fashioned, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She was driving like a bat out of hell."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "used for emphasis",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She worked like hell for her exams."
                },
                {
                    "text": "My broken finger hurt like hell."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "used when you are refusing permission or saying that something is not true",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "‘I'm coming with you.’ ‘Like hell you are *(= you certainly are not)*.’"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to have no chance at all",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to have no chance at all",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She doesn't have a hope of winning."
                },
                {
                    "text": "You don't have a hope in hell of finding a job."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to have no chance at all",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that I'll wear that thing!"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to affect something/somebody badly",
            "labels": "(British English, informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Driving on these rough roads has played hell with my tyres."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to protest angrily, especially in a way that causes trouble for somebody",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "it is not enough to intend to do good things; you must actually do them",
            "labels": "(saying)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "to frighten, annoy, etc. somebody very much",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to say that somebody has been through a difficult situation",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "We'd been to hell and back together and we were still good friends."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "used to express anger or dislike and to say that you no longer care about somebody/something and will take no notice of them",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "‘To hell with him,’ she thought, ‘I'm leaving.’"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/hel/",
                "audio": "he/hell/hell__gb_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈheləvə/",
                "audio": "he/hell/helluva__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/hel/",
                "audio": "he/hell/hell__us_1.mp3"
            },
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈheləvə/",
                "audio": "he/hell/helluva__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English hel, hell, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hel and German Hölle, from an Indo-European root meaning ‘to cover or hide’."
}