Word
hellfire
Phoneticshell·fire, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈhɛɫˌfaɪɹ/
UK/hˈɛlfaɪə/
Definition
n. a very powerful and destructive weapon or attack. It is a strong way to describe something that causes a lot of damage or fear.
n. a powerful, destructive, or intimidating weapon or attack. Often used metaphorically to describe a situation of extreme danger or intensity.
Examples
“The new missile system is a hellfire for the enemy.”
“The pilot released a hellfire missile that struck the target with incredible precision.”
“The general's strategy relied on a hellfire of artillery to break the enemy's morale before the infantry could even advance.”
Examples
simple
“The new missile system is a hellfire for the enemy.”
contextual
“The pilot released a hellfire missile that struck the target with incredible precision.”
complex
“The general's strategy relied on a hellfire of artillery to break the enemy's morale before the infantry could even advance.”
Real-World Examples
“This prompts her God-fearing mother to march to school and into the classroom where she threatens the teacher with hellfire if she touches her daughter again.” “Tiago Rodrigues’s play has incensed audiences abroad with one character’s hellfire rightwing invective.” Etymology
From Middle English helle fire, helever, from Old English hellefȳr, equivalent to hell + fire. Cognate with West Frisian helfjoer (“hellfire”), Dutch hellevuur (“hellfire”), German Höllenfeuer (“hellfire”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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