devil
n
1 (Theol) often cap the chief spirit of evil and enemy of God, often represented as the ruler of hell and often depicted as a human figure with horns, cloven hoofs, and tail
2 (Theol) one of the subordinate evil spirits of traditional Jewish and Christian belief
3 a person or animal regarded as cruel, wicked, or ill-natured
4 a person or animal regarded as unfortunate or wretched
that poor devil was ill for months
5 a person or animal regarded as clever, daring, mischievous, or energetic
6 Informal something difficult or annoying
7 (Christian Science) the opposite of truth; an error, lie, or false belief in sin, sickness, and death
9 a portable furnace or brazier, esp. one used in road-making or one used by plumbers
Compare →
salamander →
7
10 any of various mechanical devices, such as a machine for making wooden screws or a rag-tearing machine
12 (Law) (in England) a junior barrister who does work for another in order to gain experience, usually for a half fee
13 (Meteorol) a small whirlwind in arid areas that raises dust or sand in a column
14 ♦
between the devil and the deep blue sea between equally undesirable alternatives
15 ♦
devil of
Informal (intensifier)
a devil of a fine horse
16 ♦
give the devil his due to acknowledge the talent or the success of an opponent or unpleasant person
a to fail or become dissipated
b interj used to express annoyance with the person causing it
18 ♦
like the devil with great speed, determination, etc.
19 ♦
play the devil with
Informal to make much worse; upset considerably
the damp plays the devil with my rheumatism
b to make a great protest
21 ♦
talk (or speak) of the devil! interj used when an absent person who has been the subject of conversation appears
22 ♦
the devil! intensifier:
a used in such phrases as what the devil, where the devil, etc.
b an exclamation of anger, surprise, disgust, etc.
23 ♦
the devil's own a very difficult or problematic (thing)
24 ♦
(let) the devil take the hindmost look after oneself and leave others to their fate
25 ♦
the devil to pay problems or trouble to be faced as a consequence of an action
26 ♦
the very devil something very difficult or awkward
vb , -ils, -illing, -illed
(U.S.) , -ils, -iling, -iled
27 tr to prepare (esp. meat, poultry, or fish) by coating with a highly flavoured spiced paste or mixture of condiments before cooking
28 tr to tear (rags) with a devil
29 intr to serve as a printer's devil
30 intr (Chiefly Brit) to do hackwork, esp. for a lawyer or author; perform arduous tasks, often without pay or recognition of one's services
31 tr (U.S.) informal to harass, vex, torment, etc. (Old English deofol, from Latin diabolus, from Greek diabolos enemy, accuser, slanderer, from diaballein, literally: to throw across, hence, to slander)
devil-may-care
adj careless or reckless; happy-go-lucky
a devil-may-care attitude
devil's advocate
n
1 a person who advocates an opposing or unpopular view, often for the sake of argument
2 (R.C. Church) the official appointed to put the case against the beatification or canonization of a candidate, (Technical name)
promotor fidei
(translation of New Latin advocatus diaboli)
devil's bit
n short for devil's bit scabious (see scabious2 (sense 3))
devil's coach-horse
n a large black rove beetle, Ocypus olens, with large jaws and ferocious habits
devil's darning needle
n a popular name for a →
dragonfly
devil's food cake
n (Chiefly U.S. and Canadian) a rich chocolate cake
Devil's Island
n one of the three Safety Islands, off the coast of French Guiana: formerly a leper colony, then a French penal colony from 1895 until 1938. Area: less than 2 sq. km (1 sq. mile), (French name)
Île du Diable
dust devil
n a strong miniature whirlwind that whips up dust, litter, leaves, etc., into the air
mountain devil
n another name for →
moloch
printer's devil
n an apprentice or errand boy in a printing establishment
snow devil
n (Canadian) a whirling column of snow
Tasmanian devil
n a small ferocious carnivorous marsupial, Sarcophilus harrisi, of Tasmania, having black fur with pale markings, strong jaws, and short legs: family Dasyuridae, (Also called)
ursine dasyure