Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Hell \Hell\, n. [AS. hell; akin to D. hel, OHG. hella, G.
   h["o]lle, Icel. hal, Sw. helfvete, Dan. helvede, Goth. halja,
   and to AS. helan to conceal. ???. Cf. {Hele}, v. t.,
   {Conceal}, {Cell}, {Helmet}, {Hole}, {Occult}.]
   1. The place of the dead, or of souls after death; the grave;
      -- called in Hebrew sheol, and by the Greeks hades.

            He descended into hell.               --Book of
                                                  Common Prayer.

            Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell.  --Ps. xvi. 10.

   2. The place or state of punishment for the wicked after
      death; the abode of evil spirits. Hence, any mental
      torment; anguish. ``Within him hell.'' --Milton.

            It is a knell That summons thee to heaven or to
            hell.                                 --Shak.

   3. A place where outcast persons or things are gathered; as:
      (a) A dungeon or prison; also, in certain running games, a
          place to which those who are caught are carried for
          detention.
      (b) A gambling house. ``A convenient little gambling hell
          for those who had grown reckless.'' --W. Black.
      (c) A place into which a tailor throws his shreds, or a
          printer his broken type. --Hudibras.

   {Gates of hell}. (Script.) See {Gate}, n., 4.

Hell \Hell\, v. t.
   To overwhelm. [Obs.] --Spenser.

Source : WordNet®

hell
     n 1: any place of pain and turmoil; "the hell of battle"; "the
          inferno of the engine room"; "when you're alone
          Christmas is the pits"; [syn: {hell on earth}, {hellhole},
           {snake pit}, {the pits}, {inferno}]
     2: a cause of difficulty and suffering; "war is hell"; "go to
        blazes" [syn: {blaze}]
     3: (Christianity) the abode of Satan and the forces of evil;
        where sinners suffer eternal punishment; "Hurl'd
        headlong...To bottomless perdition, there to dwell"- John
        Milton; "a demon from the depths of the pit" [syn: {perdition},
         {Inferno}, {infernal region}, {nether region}, {the pit}]
        [ant: {Heaven}]
     4: (religion) the world of the dead; "he didn't want to go to
        hell when he died" [syn: {Hel}, {Hades}, {infernal region},
         {netherworld}, {Scheol}, {underworld}]
     5: violent and excited activity; "they began to fight like sin"
        [syn: {sin}]
     6: noisy and unrestrained mischief; "raising blazes" [syn: {blaze}]