jemandem die Hölle heiß machen
to pressure or harangue someone hard; to give them hell
Origin
The image draws on the religious notion of hell as a place of fire, heat and torment. The expression appears as early as Luther (still with a theological reference); the present general meaning of 'to pressure someone' is first attested in Goethe.
Building blocks
Words in this expression
Grammar that uses this word
- Comparison of equality with 'so … wie' (as … as)Vergleich mit so … wie
- Subordinate clause with 'weil' (because, causal)Nebensatz mit 'weil' (Kausalsatz)
- 'werden' as a full verb (to become)'werden' als Vollverb (etwas werden)
- Conjunctional adverb 'deswegen' (because of that)Konjunktionaladverb 'deswegen'
Examples
Die Kunden dem des Rückrufs die .
Customers are giving the manufacturer hell over the recall.