helluv

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Etymology 1

From "hell of (a)", like hella (originally Northern California slang). See also Wikipedia:Hella (word).

Adjective

helluv (not comparable)

1. (slang, chiefly Northern California) Intensifier, signifies an abundance of a thing; much or many.

   Hey, if you guys get the munchies, there's helluv candy in the cupboard.

   • 2006, Joylynn Jossel, When Souls Mate‎^[1]:

     […] and all of the other people I have met who show me helluv love when I come through your town.

Synonyms

• mad

Adverb

helluv (not comparable)

1. (slang, chiefly Northern California) Intensifier (modifies verbs); to a large extent; totally; very much.

   Dude, I helluv want to go to the show with you, but I'm soooo grounded.

   • 2002, Peggy Vincent, Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife‎^[2], page 225:

     “[…]. This helluv hurts.” We grownups burst out laughing, and I hugged her bony adolescent shoulders.

2. (slang, chiefly Northern California) Intensifier (modifies adjectives); to a large degree; extremely; exceedingly.

   That new girl is helluv sexy.

   • 2002, Peggy Vincent, Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife‎^[3], page 226:

     “We had the baby, like two minutes ago. It was helluv icy. […] Naeema was so brave, just hellabitchin', and I delivered the baby myself 'cause we have this hellafresh midwife who taught me how to do it.”

   • 2003, Adrienne Anderson, Word: Rap, Politics and Feminism‎^[4], page 14:

     “Man, if I had never been to California and read that magazine, I would be helluv scared to come out there!”

Synonyms

• (extremely, modifies adjectives): wicked (NE US)

Interjection

helluv

1. (slang, chiefly Northern California) For sure; totally; hell yeah; used as a strong affirmation of something that was just said, accomplished, or revealed.

   "Hey, you wanna come to the concert tonight?" "Oh, helluv!"

Usage notes

• To many speakers, helluv is the more emphatic or more intensified form of hella.

Related terms

• helluva
• hella
• hell
• the hell

Etymology 2

Shortened form, or elision, of phrases like "hell of" or "hell have", approximating casual speech in writing.

Contraction

helluv

1. (colloquial) Elision of "hell of".
   • 1977, Curt Johnson, The Morning Light‎^[5], page 214:

     Oh, you goddam-betcha, Julie, it's one helluva lot better — one HELLUV A lot better — to be born dirt-poor. Course then you get to stay that way the rest of your life.

   • 1997, Kat Martin, Innocence Undone‎^[6], page 297:

     “That's the helluv it — beggin' yer pardon, miss...”

2. (colloquial) Elision of "the hell of".
   • 1997, Kat Martin, Innocence Undone‎^[7], page 173:

     “Helluv it is,” he grumbled. “I was thinking of marrying her myself. Wrote her a letter, but it didn't get posted in time.”

3. (colloquial) Elision of "hell have"
   • 1973, Richard Cowper, Clone, page 99:

     Where the helluv you been?