# hell if I know

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/hell-if-i-know
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Synonym of I don't know.

## Examples

- Where are my keys? Hell if I know.
- He asked me why the train was delayed, but hell if I know.
- When the inspector demanded to know who had left the gate unlocked, the guard simply shrugged and said, hell if I know.

## Origin

The idiom likely developed as an ellipsis of the earlier the hell if I know, which was itself derived from the construction to hell if I know. The source material provides no dates or named entities for the evolution of the phrase.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.