Idioms

shot to hell

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(all) shot to hell

Ruined, worn out, or in very poor condition, especially as a result of misuse or mishandling. After dropping my phone so many times, the screen is all shot to hell. I'm sorry, what's your name again? My memory is shot to hell these days. You've been wearing the same pads for how many seasons now? No wonder they're all shot to hell!
See also: hell, shot, to

shoot (someone or something) (all) to hell

1. To riddle someone or something with bullets, causing catastrophic damage in the process. The gangsters shot the poor man all to hell. The rebel soldiers shot the post office to hell during their attack.
2. To damage, ruin, or destroy something. You're going to shoot the clutch all to hell with the way you're driving! That power surge shot the circuits to hell in my laptop. A lot of pitchers end up shooting their shoulders to hell due to such large amounts of strain.
3. To completely thwart, spoil, or ruin something. The meddling of those pesky kids has shot my plans to hell! That power surge shot the circuits to hell in my laptop. Our company has been shot to hell by this economic crash.
See also: hell, shoot, to
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

shot to hell

Worn out, ruined, as in This carpet is shot to hell, or My privacy's been shot to hell, what with all these reporters. This term alludes to being shot by gunfire. [Slang; late 1800s]
See also: hell, shot, to
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

shot to hell

mod. ruined; decimated. (An elaboration of shot.) This thing is shot to hell. Let’s get a new one.
See also: hell, shot, to
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

shot to hell

Hopelessly ruined; completely worn out. This term once meant literally destroyed by gunfire, but by the late nineteenth century it was clearly figurative. Ernest Hemingway used it in the short story Fiesta (1926): “That meant San Sebastian all shot to hell.”
See also: hell, shot, to
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
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References in periodicals archive
your personal life is shot to hell, but I have great friends and a great family," said Damon.
Matt Was A Brat But He's Full Of Goodwill
He adds: "Fame is a killer if you're not ready for it and your personal life is shot to hell, but I have great friends and a great family.
Where there's a Will; Patience is a virtue for card star Matt
?" addresses a bunch of punks he has just shot to hell with an air rifle.
Bats Out of Hell
But the pleasure principle is shot to hell by the dreary storytelling, helmed by Trip Cullman with the sensibility of some effete intellectual marched off to the Gulag to put on a show for political prisoners.
The Wooden Breeks
"My hearing is going, my eyesight isn't as good as it was, I can't get the tops of jars and bottles because of a touch of arthritis and my memory is shot to hell.
I didn't deserve OBE; Scots actress Annette Crosbie didn't think she'd worked hard enough for a gong
Cash delivers the inspirational sermon, "Oh death, where is thy sting?/Oh grave, where is thy victory?" His voice is shot to hell, but his faith is unwavering and resonates with urgency.
Johnny Cash defiant to the very end
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