What is the meaning of "a hell of a lot"? [closed]

meaning

The quoted text isn't formal, grammatical English, but the transcription of a flow of thoughts, so it is a little tricky to parse.

Hell of a (which you may see written as helluva) adds strong emphasis to a concept; it may be considered a mild profanity. She's a hell of a sailor means that she is an exceptional sailor. Hell of a lot means there is a large amount or a high degree of something. The recipe uses a hell of a lot of sugar means that the recipe calls for a great deal of sugar.

Not a hell of a lot, then, means that there is not a great deal or high degree of something. It could refer to something said previously. It could be a statement of modesty, that whatever being discussed is no big deal despite the work the writer seems to have put into it. It could mean something else entirely.


A hell of a lot, often seen as a helluva lot is a colorful way of expressing a great deal of x.

Examples:

  • We went to a buffet for dinner and I had a hell of a lot of food.
  • $30 trillion is a hell of a lot of money.

Whatever x your example refers to must have been given in the previous sentence.

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