be a heck of a (person or thing)

"Heck of a," used to create good or bad emphasis, is often contracted colloquially as "heckuva."

1. To be exceptionally good, exciting, or interesting. Marty sure is a heckuva of a guy, always willing to lend his friends a hand! Two cars for the price of one? That's a heck of a deal! That was a heck of an action movie. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!

2. To be exceptionally bad or difficult. This is a heck of a math assignment—I can't understand the first thing about it! Eesh, that is a heckuva haircut. You're going to go out in public like that? Oh, it was a heck of a flight all right—three hours of nothing but turbulence!

be one heck of a (person or thing)

"Heck of a," used to create good or bad emphasis, is often contracted colloquially as "heckuva."

1. To be exceptionally good, exciting, or interesting. Marty sure is one heckuva of a guy, always willing to lend his friends a hand! Two cars for the price of one? That's one heck of a deal! That was one heck of an action movie. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!

2. To be exceptionally bad or difficult. This is one heck of a math assignment—I can't understand the first thing about it! Eesh, that is one heckuva haircut. You're going to go out in public like that? Oh, it was one heck of a flight all right—three hours of nothing but turbulence!

one heck of a (something or someone)

1. An exceptionally good, exciting, or interesting thing or person. Marty sure is one heck of a guy, always willing to lend his friends a hand! Two cars for the price of one? That's one heck of a deal!

2. An exceptionally bad or difficult thing, activity, or person. This is one heck of a math assignment—I can't understand the first thing about it! Boy, that is one heck of a haircut. You're going to go out in public like that?