heck

Everyday

1. (mild) an exclamation of annoyance or surprise, a soft stand-in for «hell». tree →
2. used for emphasis: «a heck of a lot» = very much. tree →
3. «what the heck» = why not, I don't care. tree →

In the lessons

A gentle, family-friendly replacement for «hell», common among children, teachers and parents; everyday, all regions, especially US and UK.

Examples

• Oh heck, I've spilled my juice. tree →
• What the heck is that noise? tree →
• That's a heck of a lot of homework. tree →
• Heck, why not? Let's go. tree →
• "Flipping heck!" said the teacher when the fire alarm went off. tree →
• It's a heck of a long way to walk. tree →
• Heck, I forgot my lunch again. tree →
• What the heck, I'll have another slice. tree →

Note

Trap: mild and usually acceptable, but still a stand-in for «hell». «A heck of a» means very big or very much. Plain meaning: «oh no!», «very».