Heck Definition & Meaning

American

British

Etymology

Examples

heck 1 American [hek] / hɛk /

interjection

1. (used as a mild expression of annoyance, rejection, disgust, etc.).

   What the heck do you care?

noun

1. something remarkable of its kind (usually used in the phraseheck of a ).

   That was a heck of an impressive speech. Have one heck of a good time.

idioms

1. as heck (used as a mild intensifier).

   I say he's guilty as heck.

heck 2 American [hek] / hɛk /

noun

1. a comblike attachment on a loom, for guiding the warp threads as they are dressed for the warp beam.

2. a device that guides yarn onto the bobbin of a spinning wheel.

3. a gridlike arrangement of glass or metal rods below the hooks on a Jacquard loom, used for lifting all harness eyes equally or evenly.

heck 1 British / hɛk /

interjection

1. a mild exclamation of surprise, irritation, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 heck 2 British / hɛk /

noun

1. dialect a frame for obstructing the passage of fish in a river

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of heck1

First recorded in 1850–55; euphemistic alteration of hell

Origin of heck2

1300–50; Middle English hekke, Old English hecc, variant of hæcc hatch 2

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“I’ve fought for this country, and I’m sure as heck not going to give up on it,” Sullivan said.

From Salon

This will be one heck of a story for her first day of preschool.

From Literature

"What the heck is that sticky stuff called?"

From Literature

Brentford got one heck of a win last time out at Villa, and their manager Keith Andrews deserves a lot of credit for getting that result despite being down to 10 men for the entire second half.

From BBC

"Heck, he's only a foot and a half taller than me."

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.