Slang dictionary
hell to the naw
[hel tuh听th uh naw]
What does听hell to the naw mean?
Hell to the naw is an expressive and intensive slang way to say听“no.”
Where does hell to the naw come from?
English speakers have been exclaiming听hell no听since at least the 1930s. Naw is a dialect variant of no evidenced in print in the late 1600s.听Hell to the naw听is recorded in black slang in the 2000s, notably appearing in hip-hop and R&B lyrics. The words听to the, here, intensifies the phrase’s sense of rejection.
The expression was popularized in 2014 with the听release of a viral song and video, “Hell 2 Da Naw Naw” by a听Southern singer and pastor who goes by Bishop Bullwinkle. In it, Bullwinkle sings: “I ain’t gonna preach too long /听Ain’t gonna take this service too far /听My sermon in the morning /听Hell to the naw naw naw,” variously repeating听hell to the naw听in the chorus.
The video was uploaded to YouTube in August, 2014 and听went viral immediately, spawning Vine compilations and another viral video of a grandmother dancing to it. In comedic Vine videos, clips from the hook of “Hell 2 Da Naw Naw” were used as reaction images. For instance, a Vine user might show a son asking his father for some money and then play the chorus of the song as the father’s reply.
Examples of hell to the naw
Who uses hell to the naw?
In colloquial speech and writing, hell to the naw, as spread in the popular lexicon by Black English, is used as a dramatic way to say “absolutely not”!听It’s often issued in response to听an overwhelming, confusing, disgusting, or otherwise upsetting situation a speaker does not want to deal with or wishes to distance themselves from. For instance, “Beyonc茅 is going to be in town when I have to be away for a work trip?! Oh, hell to the naw.“.
Online, people may incorporate clips or stills from Bishop Bullwinkle’s “Hell 2 Da Naw Naw” as a humorous negative reaction to some content or to emphasize a refusal or rejection.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of hell to the naw like most terms we define on 亚洲网紅露点, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of hell to the naw that will help our users expand their word mastery.