beat the hell out of

beat the hell out of (one)

1. To physically attack one, as with punches and other blows, such that they suffer significant injury. This phrase can be used both literally and hyperbolically. Our neighbor is in the hospital because a burglar beat the hell out of him. I'm worried that the captain of the football team will beat the hell out of me if he finds out that I'm secretly seeing his girlfriend. If you ever scare me like that again, I'll beat the hell out of you, I swear!2. To defeat one decisively in a competition. The final score was 17-1? Wow, we really beat the hell out of that team!See also: beat, hell, of, out

beat the hell out of someone

 and beat the living daylights out of someone ; beat the pants off (of) someone; beat the shit out of someone; beat the socks off (of) someone; beat the stuffing out of someone; beat the tar out of someone 1. Fig. to defeat someone very badly. (Caution: the use of the word shit is considered vulgar and is offensive to many people. Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Our team beat the hell out of the other side. We beat the stuffing out of the other side. 2. Fig. Inf. to batter someone severely. (Alludes to physical violence, not the removal of someone's pants. Of is usually retained before pronouns.) The thugs beat the living daylights out of their victim. If you do that again, I'll beat the pants off of you. Before the boxing match Max said he would beat the socks off Lefty.See also: beat, hell, of, out

beat/knock/kick the ˈhell out of somebody/something

(informal) (also beat/knock/kick the ˈshit out of somebody/something taboo, slang) beat, etc. somebody/something very hard: If the crowd had managed to get hold of the robber, they would have beaten the hell out of him.The gang knocked the hell out of him for no reason at all.See also: beat, hell, kick, knock, of, out, somebody, something