hell-bent

See also: hellbent

English edit

WOTD – 17 April 2021

Etymology edit

From hell (“in a manner that uses all of the strength, speed, or effort that a person can summon”) +‎ bent (“determined, insistent”),^[1] that is, in the sense “determined like hell”.

Pronunciation edit

(Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛlˌbɛnt/
Audio (RP) (file)

Adjective edit

hell-bent (comparative more hell-bent, superlative most hell-bent)

(originally US, informal, transitive with on) Recklessly determined to do or achieve (something).
Synonym: dead set

He was hell-bent on coming first, no matter what.
- 1995, Nick Hornby, High Fidelity, London: Victor Gollancz, →ISBN, page 16:
  If somebody had asked me why I was so hell-bent on grabbing a piece of Penny Hardwick's chest, I wouldn't have known what to say. And if somebody were to ask Penny why she was so hell-bent on stopping me, I'll bet she'd be stumped for an answer too.
- 2023 September 26, Sam Jones, “Spain elections: Feijóo launches doomed bid to lead country”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN:
  The PP has seized on the possibility of an amnesty to rally support and to portray the PSOE leader as craven, dependent on Catalan separatists and hellbent on remaining in office.