hell's bells

Meaning

Noun

• Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium).

Origin

• From hell + -'s + bells, possibly an elaboration of hell with bells chosen to rhyme with hell’s.
• The noun sense (Datura stramonium) may allude to the often spiny seed capsules of the poisonous plant which somewhat resemble bells when they mature and split open; compare devil's cucumber, devil's snare, devil's trumpet, and devil's weed which are other common names for the plant.