different between hell vs acheron

English

Alternative forms

• (Christianity): Hell
• hel (17th century)
• helle

Pronunciation

• enPR: h?l, IPA^(key): /h?l/
• Rhymes: -?l

Etymology 1

From Middle English helle, from Old English hell, from Proto-Germanic *halj? (“concealed place, netherworld”), from Proto-Indo-European *?el- (“to cover, conceal, save”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Hälle (“hell”), West Frisian hel (“hell”), Dutch hel (“hell”), German Low German Hell (“hell”), German Hölle (“hell”), Norwegian helvete (“hell”), Icelandic hel (“the abode of the dead, death”). Also related to the Hel of Germanic mythology. See also hele.

Proper noun

hell

1. In various religions, the torment place where some or all evil spirits are believed to go after death
   • 1611, KJV, Proverbs, 23:14

2. (in many religions, uncountable) The place where sinners suffer after death

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:afterlife

Antonyms

• (in many religions, uncountable): heaven

Translations

Noun

hell (countable and uncountable, plural hells)

1. (countable, hyperbolic, figuratively) A place or situation of great suffering in life.
   • 1879, General William T. Sherman, commencement address at the Michigan Military Academy
2. (countable) A place for gambling.
   • 1877, William Black, Green Pastures and Piccadilly
3. (figuratively) An extremely hot place.

4. (sometimes considered vulgar) Used as an intensifier in phrases grammatically requiring a noun.

5. (obsolete) A place into which a tailor throws shreds, or a printer discards broken type.

Derived terms

Translations

Interjection

hell

1. (impolite, sometimes considered vulgar) Used to express discontent, unhappiness, or anger.
   • 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant Of Venice, Act II Scene 7

     O hell! what have we here?

     A carrion Death, within whose empty eye

     There is a written scroll! [...]

2. (impolite, sometimes considered vulgar) Used to emphasize.

3. (impolite, sometimes considered vulgar) Used to introduce an intensified statement following an understated one; nay; not only that, but.

Derived terms

• hell's bells

Translations

See also

• damn
• heck

Adverb

hell (not comparable)

1. (postpositional) Alternative form of the hell or like hell.
   • 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, p. 35:

     ‘I know whether a boy is telling me the truth or not.’
     ‘Thank you, sir.’
     Did he hell. They never bloody did.

Etymology 2

From German hellen (“to brighten, burnish”). Related to Dutch hel (“clear, bright”) and German hell (“clear, bright”).

Verb

hell (third-person singular simple present hells, present participle helling, simple past and past participle helled)

1. (rare, metal-working) To add luster to, burnish (silver or gold).
   • 1770, Godfrey Smith, The Laboratory: Or, School of Arts

     To hell gold or gilt work? take two ounces of tartar, two ounces of sulfur.. and it will give it a fine luster.

References

• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles

Etymology 3

From Old Norse hella (“to pour”). Cognate with Icelandic hella (“to pour”), Norwegian helle (“to pour”), Swedish hälla (“to pour”). See also hield.

Verb

hell (third-person singular simple present hells, present participle helling, simple past and past participle helled)

1. (rare) To pour.
   • 18th century, unknown author, The Harvest or Bashful Shepherd

     Gosh, the sickle went into me hand? Down hell'd the bluid.

References

• A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles

Albanian

Etymology

From Proto-Albanian *sk?la, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kol- (“stake”); compare Lithuanian kuõlas, Polish kó?, Ancient Greek ?????? (skúlos).

Noun

hell m

1. skewer
2. spear
3. icicle

Cornish

Noun

hell

1. Aspirate mutation of kell.

Estonian

Etymology

Of Finnic origin. Cognate to Finnish hellä and Votic ellä.

Adjective

hell (genitive hella, partitive hella)

1. tender, gentle

Declension

German

Etymology

From Middle High German hel (“resounding, loud, shining, bright”), from Old High German hel (“resounding”), from Proto-Germanic *halliz (“resounding”), from Proto-Germanic *hellan? (“to resound, make a sound”), from Proto-Indo-European *kelh?- (“to call, make noise”). Cognate with Dutch hel.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /h?l/

Adjective

hell (comparative heller, superlative am hellsten)

1. clear, bright, light
   • 1918, Elisabeth von Heyking, Die Orgelpfeifen, in: Zwei Erzählungen, Phillipp Reclam jun. Verlag, page 9:

Declension

Antonyms

• dunkel

Derived terms

• hellhörig
• hellsichtig

Related terms

• sternenhell
• taghell

Further reading

• “hell” in Duden online

Luxembourgish

Etymology

From Old High German hel, related to the verb hellan, from Proto-Germanic *hellan? (“to resound”). Cognate with German helle, Dutch hel.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hæl/
• Rhymes: -æl
• Homophone: Häll

Adjective

hell (masculine hellen, neuter hellt, comparative méi hell, superlative am hellsten)

1. clear, bright
2. light, pale

Declension

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Old Norse heill.

Noun

hell n (definite singular hellet, indefinite plural hell, definite plural hella or hellene)

1. luck

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the main entry.

Verb

hell

1. imperative of helle

Further reading

• “hell” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Ultimately from Old Norse heill.

Noun

hell n (definite singular hellet, indefinite plural hell, definite plural hella)

1. luck

Further reading

• “hell” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old English

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *hallju, from Proto-Germanic *halj?, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *?el- (“to cover, hide, conceal”).

Compare German hell (“light”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xell/, [he?]

Noun

hell f

1. hell

Declension

Derived terms

• hellew?te

Descendants

• Middle English: helle
  • English: hell
  • Scots: hel