Phrase guide

give someone hell

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To castigate someone; to dress them down.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Near-synonym: raise hell
  • His boss really gave him hell when she found out that he'd been lying about filing the reports.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: raise hell

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To torment; To make miserable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To put up a fight against; to battle strongly and effectively.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • A nickname of U.S. President Harry Truman was "Give-'em-Hell Harry" because he could really give them hell when he wanted to.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.