like merry hell
- idiom
- NSFW
- 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
98
7.9
Happening very quickly, with great effort or very strongly
57
2.9
In a way that is not controlled and shows strong feeling
12
5.1
In a way that shows very fast, nervous energy because of strong excitement or worry
9
7.2
Extremely, often in a loud or very strong way
8
8.2
Very quickly and with great energy
7
8.6
To a very great degree
6
4.9
In a way that shows strong feeling and great enthusiasm
6
3.0
In a lively and eager way
3
6.2
To a very great degree
3
7.6
Act with very strong, urgent energy and full focus
3
7.4
To do something with great energy and effort
2
7.2
With very high energy and little control
1
5.1
In a lively, excited way
1
7.4
In a very warm and emotional way that shows strong feeling
1
8.8
In a very intense and unpleasant way
1
9.2
To do something very quickly or with great effort
1
7.5
In a loud, wild, and very lively way
1
7.4
Showing great pleasure and excitement
1
8.4
In a way that shows great energy, speed, or skill
1
5.9
In a very lively and excited way often to celebrate
1
7.0
In a very strong, angry, or violent way
1
9.7
In a very excited and wild way
1
8.1
In a strong, emotional, and wild way
Very excited and happy in an obvious way
With very strong, uncontrolled energy and effort
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'.