heck

(just) for the heck of it

For no particular purpose or reason; only for the sake of fun or distraction. People don't call me Mr. Green Thumb for the heck of it! There's a group of kids who go around smashing car windows for the heck of it. Just for the heck of it, let's order dessert first.
See also: heck, of

for the hell of it

Simply to satisfy a whim; for no reason other than one's desire to do it. Oh, let's just go on a drive for the hell of it. Why do we need to have a destination in mind?
See also: hell, of

heck of a

1. Quite good or impressive. That was one heck of a party you threw for Kelly. Everyone said they had such a great time. He's a heck of a ballplayer. I wouldn't be surprised if he made it to the pros someday.
2. Very difficult. I had a heck of a time trying to change the flat tire. The lug nuts didn't want to budge.
See also: heck, of

heck of a lot of

Quite a large amount of. My car has been costing me a heck of a lot of money in repairs lately. It might be time to get a new one.
See also: heck, lot, of

one heck of a (something or someone)

1. An exceptionally good, exciting, or interesting thing or person. Marty sure is one heck of a guy, always willing to lend his friends a hand! Two cars for the price of one? That's one heck of a deal!
2. An exceptionally bad or difficult thing, activity, or person. This is one heck of a math assignment—I can't understand the first thing about it! Boy, that is one heck of a haircut. You're going to go out in public like that?
See also: heck, of, one

since Hector was a pup

old-fashioned Since a long time ago in the past; for a very long time. A reference to the figure in Greek mythology, Trojan son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba. This farm has been in our family since Hector was a pup, and you want to just demolish it? How you doing, Jim? I haven't seen you since Hector was a pup!
See also: pup, since

what the heck

1. An exclamation used to emphasize surprise, shock, anger, disgust, etc. In this phrase, "the heck" is used as an intensifier. What the heck are you doing? You can't come in here! What the heck? I just had this fixed, and now there's a dent in it! Just what the heck is going on here?
2. Why not; one might as well; it makes no difference anyway. A: "Do you think we can add some extra effects to this scene?" B: "Sure, what the heck." Let's see, I'll take a gallon of milk, a carton of eggs, a loaf of bread, and… what the heck, one of those bouquets of flowers, too.
See also: heck, what
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

for the devil of it

 and for the heck of it; for the hell of it
because it is slightly evil; for no good reason. (Use caution with hell.) The kids broke the window just for the devil of it. We just drove over for the heck of it.
See also: devil, of

What the heck!

Inf. It doesn't matter! (Often with the force of an exclamation.) Oh, what the heck! Come on in. It doesn't matter. Oh, what the heck! I'll have another beer. Nobody's counting.
See also: what
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

for the hell of it

Also, for the heck of it; just for the hell of it. For no particular reason; on a whim. For example, We drove by the old place just for the hell of it. In the first variant, heck is a euphemism for hell. [First half of 1900s] Also see for fun, def. 2.
See also: hell, of
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

for the hell of it

INFORMAL
COMMON If someone does something, especially something bad, for the hell of it, they do it for fun or for no particular reason. Another boy has been caught putting sugar in petrol tanks, just for the hell of it. This makes me want to throw a chair through the window, just for the hell of it. Note: You can also say that someone does something for the sheer hell of it. Some of the athletes are running for money. Some for glory. Some even for the sheer hell of it.
See also: hell, of
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

a heck of a —

used for emphasis in various statements or exclamations. informal
Of dialect origin, heck is a late 19th-century euphemism for hell .
1989 Guardian It is not entirely true to say everyone who is anyone has been coached there, but a heck of a lot have.
See also: heck, of

for the hell of it

just for fun. informal
See also: hell, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

for the ˈheck of it

(informal) just for pleasure rather than for a reason: ‘Why are you doing that?’ ‘Just for the heck of it.’
See also: heck, of

what the ˈheck!

(informal) used to say that you are going to do something that you know you should not do: It means I’ll be late for work but what the heck!
See also: what

(just) for the ˈhell of it

(informal) just for fun, with no particular reason: The youths had nothing to do so they went round breaking windows just for the hell of it.
See also: hell, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

for the devil of it

and for the heck of it and for the hell of it
mod. because it is slightly evil; for no good reason. (Use caution with hell.) The kids broke the window just for the devil of it. I painted the garage blue, just for the heck of it.
See also: devil, of

for the heck of it

verb
See for the devil of it
See also: heck, of

for the hell of it

verb
See for the devil of it
See also: hell, of

What the heck!

exclam. It doesn’t matter! (Often with the force of an exclamation.) Oh, what the heck! Come on in. It doesn’t matter.
See also: what
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

for the hell of it

For no particular reason; on a whim: walked home by the old school for the hell of it.
See also: hell, of
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.

since Hector was a pup

A very long time ago. One explanation suggests that the expression might have become popular in the 1920s when many schoolboys studied Greek and had dogs named Hector after the Homeric hero. Another possibility is also rooted in classical studies: according to the playwright Euripides, Hector's mother, Hecuba, was turned into a dog for murdering the killer of her older son; therefore, Hector was the son of a dog, which made him a pup. In any event, the phrase is now obsolete.
See also: pup, since
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price
See also:
  • (just) for the heck of it
  • for the heck of it
  • for the devil of it
  • (just) for the devil of it
  • (just) for the fun of it
  • for the fun of it
  • for kicks
  • for laughs
  • for kicks and for laughs; for giggles
  • giggle
References in periodicals archive
Ben Heck's Madison, WI-based studio houses an array of engineering delight.
Heck yeah! The emerging everyday engineer
By Neil Pooran reporters@dailyrecord.co.uk HUNTJ Staff with dart guns ATTRACTION Z One of the zoo's Heck bulls safely in its enclosure
We are stuck in the chimp enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo .. a bull is on the rampage; PANIC AS BEAST ESCAPES HANDLERS Animal lovers take refuge
"Our initial results don't show cause for concern," Heck says.
Some fish thrived despite oil spill: BP blowout didn't dent populations in Gulf's seagrass beds
"For some reason Congress still clings to technology from a bygone era to address today's nuclear waste issues," Heck said.
Nevada Rep. Heck's amendment redirects Yucca money to recycling
In each chapter, Heck tries to highlight that Muslims and Christians have raised similar questions and answers to the spiritual and existential questions faced by all.
Paul L. Heck, Common Ground: Islam, Christianity, and Religious Pluralism
At PS, we love answering "what the heck is happening" questions.
Single out battery compartment
Many philosophers (see for example Evans 1982, Martin 1993, Heck 2000, Kelly 2001, Tye 2005) argue from one or more of these assumed differences between perceptual states (2) and conceptual states to the conclusion that these states have different kinds of content.
Conceptualidad y generalidad: una critica a un argumento en favor del dualismo de contenido
Alternatively, if the online retailer is really cheap, there's Tired Of The Whole Thing Tuesday where by now exhausted shoppers have to "track their order" online and still not know where the heck it is.
Net result of Christmas shopping online? A mad dash
"I lasted until the end of October and asked to have the surgery scheduled," Heck says.
Thawing out frozen shoulder: what can you do when your arm gets "stuck"?
After attending the High School for Art and Design in New York and receiving a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York, Heck went on to find work at the American Museum of Natural History as a scientific illustrator.
Ed Heck
(Jackson supports the bill, while Heck, owner of the Lake Sonoma brand, opposes it.) Though all of Lake Sonoma's grapes come from Sonoma, Heck doesn't want to give up the option of someday branching out into other appellations.
The Sonoma divide
"Women in same-sex relationships have lower rates of coverage than those in opposite-sex relationships," says lead researcher Julia Heck, who at the time of the study was a fellow at Columbia's Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy.
Breaking down health barriers
Recently, I bought nopales (prickly pear cactus) from a corner vendor and didn't know what the heck to do with them.
Journal recipes introduce reader to the world's cuisines
Heck WUSF Student Stipend Endowment, according to WUSF General Manager JoAnn Urofsky.
Outstanding student employee earns second Heck endowment award
Although you personally may choose to water down your curses (heck! golly!) or cover your ears (as one of my friends insists her young kids do when we adults let loose), you'll no doubt get a kick out of Wajnryb's delightful book.
No offense intended