Wiktionary
prep.phr. 1 (context intensifier English) In a manner that uses all of the strength, speed, or effort that a person can summon. 2 Used ironically to express the opposite of one's intentions 3 Bad or badly.
WordNet
adv. with great speed or effort or intensity; "drove like crazy"; "worked like hell to get the job done"; "ran like sin for the storm cellar"; "work like thunder"; "fought like the devil" [syn: like mad, like crazy, like sin, like thunder, like the devil]
used ironically to indicate the opposite of what is stated; "says he'll help me? Like hell he will!"
Usage examples of "like hell".
Something that looks like hell on earth and can drown you in your own bed just by wishing you would.
Pruitt said, turning his back to the group under the lights and hoping like hell that his shaking shoulders would be taken for sobs rather than the belly laughs that were threatening to sneak out.
It always happens that way, at least in places like Hell's Kitchen it does.
There had to be neo-prene slugs, riot stuff that hurt like hell when it knocked you down and walked all over you.
So all we can do is work like hell in an attempt to find an antidote, and await any further outbreaks.
A line of firemen were fighting like hell in an attempt to prevent it from destroying the STD station.