devil
▪ I. devil [devil devils devilled deviled devilling deviling] BrE [ˈdevl] NAmE [ˈdevl] noun
1. the Devil (in the Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions)the most powerful evil ↑being
Syn: ↑Satan
•He would sell his soul to the Devil.
2. an evil spirit
•They believed she was possessed by devils.
3. (informal)a person who behaves badly, especially a child
•a naughty little devil
4. (informal)used to talk about sb and to emphasize an opinion that you have of them
•I miss the old devil, now that he's gone.
•She's off to Greece for a month— lucky devil!
•James was a handsome devil and rich, too.
more at needs must (when the devil drives) at ↑need n., the devil/hell to pay at ↑pay v., sell your soul (to the devil) at ↑sell v.
Idioms: ↑a devil ▪ ↑better the devil you know ▪ ↑between the devil and the deep blue sea ▪ ↑devil looks after his own ▪ ↑devil makes work for idle hands ▪ ↑devil of a job ▪ ↑go to the devil! ▪ ↑like the devil ▪ ↑talk of the devil ▪ what/where/who/why the devil …
Word Origin:
Old English dēofol (related to Dutch duivel and German Teufel), via late Latin from Greek diabolos ‘accuser, slanderer’ (used in the Septuagint to translate Hebrew śāṭān ‘Satan’), from diaballein ‘to slander’, from dia ‘across’ + ballein ‘to throw’.
Example Bank:
•He behaved like someone possessed by devils.
•His strong left-wing views make him the devil incarnate to more extreme Conservatives.
•His views make him the devil incarnate to extreme conservatives.
•I miss the old devil, now that he's gone.
•She's off to Greece for a month— lucky devil!
•They were handsome young devils in their uniforms, weren't they?
▪ II. the ˈdevil idiom
(old-fashioned)very difficult or unpleasant
•These berries are the devil to pick because they're so small.
Main entry: ↑devilidiom
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