like merry hell
- idiom
- NSFW
:
como un loco
- He worked like merry hell to finish the project on time.
Examples
-
The audience cheered like merry hell when the band came on stage.
-
He ran like merry hell to catch the bus.
-
The children played like merry hell in the backyard all afternoon.
-
She painted the room like merry hell!
-
The audience cheered like merry hell when the band came on stage.
-
He worked like merry hell to finish the project on time.
-
The children played like merry hell in the backyard all afternoon.
Synonyms
104
2.9
In a way that is not controlled and shows strong feeling
75
7.9
Happening very quickly, with great effort or very strongly
13
5.1
In a way that shows very fast, nervous energy because of strong excitement or worry
8
3.0
In a lively and eager way
8
8.2
Very quickly and with great energy
7
7.2
Extremely, often in a loud or very strong way
7
4.9
In a way that shows strong feeling and great enthusiasm
4
7.4
To do something with great energy and effort
4
8.6
To a very great degree
4
6.2
To a very great degree
2
7.2
With very high energy and little control
2
8.8
In a very intense and unpleasant way
1
5.1
In a lively, excited way
1
7.4
In a very warm and emotional way that shows strong feeling
1
7.5
In a loud, wild, and very lively way
1
7.4
Showing great pleasure and excitement
1
9.2
To do something very quickly or with great effort
1
7.6
Act with very strong, urgent energy and full focus
1
5.9
In a very lively and excited way often to celebrate
In a very excited and wild way
In a very strong, angry, or violent way
Very excited and happy in an obvious way
In a way that shows great energy, speed, or skill
With very strong, uncontrolled energy and effort
In a strong, emotional, and wild way
Antonyms
How Intense
Surface Forms
Morphology
The marker 'like' signals manner and 'hell' is commonly used colloquially as an intensifier, so a learner might infer a sense of great intensity. However, the combination 'merry hell' is idiomatic and not a predictable composition of 'merry' (joyful) + 'hell' (place of torment), so the exact nuance ('with great energy/intensity') is not fully derivable without exposure.
Etymology
Like merry hell may come from putting the cheerful word merry next to the strong word hell, creating a loud picture of people acting wild and joyful. That's why the phrase means 'with great energy' or 'very intensely'.