Hurts like the dickens

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Origin of Phrases - H

Hurts like the dickens

Meaning: To hurt a lot, to be painful.

Example: I got a paper cut that hurts like the dickens.

Origin: Dickens in this case is a euphemism for "devil". Hence the phrase is really "hurts like the devil" which is also a common phrase. Dickens was likely considered more polite than "devil" in Victorian times, and may have been a superstitious alternative.

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