student asking question

Is "the hell you are" a slang? What does it mean?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Yes, "the hell you are" is slang and means that someone strongly disagrees with someone or doesn't believe something that someone says. It's similar to saying the sarcastic expression "yeah right", "hell no", or "are you crazy". You can also say "like hell you are/will". Ex: A: I'm twenty-one. B: The hell you are! Ex: A: I'm to skip dinner tonight to hangout with my friends. B: Like hell, you will!

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