devil
devil (dev′əl)
noun
- Theol.
- the chief evil spirit, a supernatural being subordinate to, and the foe of, God, and the tempter of human beings; Satan: typically depicted as a man with horns, a tail, and cloven feet: with the
- any evil spirit; demon
- a very wicked or malevolent person
- a person who is mischievous, energetic, reckless, etc.
- an unlucky, unhappy person that poor devil
- anything that is difficult or is hard to operate, control, understand, etc.
- printer's devil
- any of various machines for tearing things, as paper or rags, to bits
Etymology: ME devel < OE deofol < LL(Ec) diabolus < Gr diabolos, slanderous (in LXX, Satan; in N.T., devil) < diaballein, to slander, lit., throw across < dia-, across + ballein, to throw: see ball
a devil of a
between the devil and the deep (blue) sea
give the devil his due
go to the devil
play the devil with
raise the devil
- to conjure up the devil
- Informal to make a commotion or have a boisterous good time
the devil!
the devil to pay
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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