I come across the expression "the hell with it" increasingly frequently. I thought it was supposed to be "to hell with it." Don't you send things to hell? Why the hell? Explain please.
The hell with it?
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"The hell with it" and "to hell with it" have slightly different shades of meaning, to me.
"The hell with it" connotes, to me, "I don't care"; "to hell with it" connotes "I scorn and execrate this."
Both are correct.
"The hell with it" connotes, to me, "I don't care"; "to hell with it" connotes "I scorn and execrate this."
Both are correct.
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I would use the same expression for both and let context sort it out. "To hell with it" makes sense to me. But no matter how I parse the phrase "the hell with it," it doesn't make sense. I just can't grasp how "the hell with it" has any intrinsic meaning (aside from a colloquial one).
Plus, the word hell almost never takes an article. You don't say "Go to the hell!" Or "the hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."
Interesting.
We do use "the hell" as an exclamations, though, with wh- questions:
Who the hell is...? Where the hell is...? Why the hell would you...? How the hell did you...? What the hell!
Or as an adverbial negation:
The hell you do! The hell you care! (where "the hell" means something like "not at all") [EDIT: Hey, I missed Shadow Ferrets post! I thought I had something new to say.
]"The hell with it," doesn't look like any of these, but it might have somehow developed from "to hell with it" by association (with "to" being unstressed, it's quite possible).
Intuitively, I'd have agreed with ICE about the difference, but googling I can't really see a difference in usage, so I don't know about that.
Funny you bring this up.... I just came across a similar, well I don't know what we call this actually so I'll just say dissimily.. I always thought you were a "pain in the ass" Now I find people have changed it a bit to you are a "pain in MY ass". It's interesting because if you're a pain in the ass, arn't you a pain in the ass to everyone? But, If you're just a pain in MY ass, perhaps your not reallly a pain the ass to others???? ...And if you are just a pain in MY ass, are you discriminating against others who want you to be a pain in their ass as well?
Tis a Puzzelment....
Tis a Puzzelment....
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As Dawnstorm said, there is "What the hell," "Where in the hell," And "Who the hell," so there is precident for "the hell." Not sure why that is. Maybe they're being specific, not just any hell, but the hell.
Thanks Dawnstorm. I hadn't thought of all those examples. You might be right about the etymology of the expression in question. You've cleared it up (somewhat) for me.Interesting.
We do use "the hell" as an exclamations, though, with wh- questions:
Who the hell is...? Where the hell is...? Why the hell would you...? How the hell did you...? What the hell!
Or as an adverbial negation:
The hell you do! The hell you care! (where "the hell" means something like "not at all") [EDIT: Hey, I missed Shadow Ferrets post! I thought I had something new to say.
"The hell with it," doesn't look like any of these, but it might have somehow developed from "to hell with it" by association (with "to" being unstressed, it's quite possible).
Intuitively, I'd have agreed with ICE about the difference, but googling I can't really see a difference in usage, so I don't know about that.
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When would it be appropriate to capitalize Hell?
Go to Hell / hell - which is correct?
To Hell /hell with that?
What the Hell / hell are you talking about?
Go to Hell / hell - which is correct?
To Hell /hell with that?
What the Hell / hell are you talking about?
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To Hell with it is capitalized since it's a place name. The hell with it is not since it's a generalization, so to speak. Pain in my ass is completely incorrect because it's self-centered, self-focused, self-interested and self-satisfied. A pain in the ass is totally incorrect because I'll punch you for it. Any questions? 
Now will someone please get me some coffee!?!
Now will someone please get me some coffee!?!
To Hell with it is capitalized since it's a place name. The hell with it is not since it's a generalization, so to speak. Pain in my ass is completely incorrect because it's self-centered, self-focused, self-interested and self-satisfied. A pain in the ass is totally incorrect because I'll punch you for it. Any questions?
Now will someone please get me some coffee!?!
Why the hell would I do that? And spoil the fun?
Seems to me "the hell" is an Americanism. I could be wrong, but I'd bet it arose from "bad ear" syndrome, where an established expression gets corrupted by someone like Norm Crosby, who made a career of it.
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