Meanings
nounhell on wheels (uncountable)
- idiomaticuncountableA situation that is tough, aggressive, lawless, and wild.
Origin
First used to refer to the towns at the end of the Union Pacific Railroad when under construction.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
hell on wheels. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hell%20on%20wheels
MLA
“hell on wheels.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hell%20on%20wheels. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hell on wheels,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hell%20on%20wheels.
Source: hell on wheels on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.