devil

devil [dev′əl]

n.

[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 BALL²]

1. Theol.

a) [often D-] 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

b) any evil spirit; demon

2. a very wicked or malevolent person

3. a person who is mischievous, energetic, reckless, etc.

4. an unlucky, unhappy person [that poor devil]

5. anything that is difficult or is hard to operate, control, understand, etc.

6. PRINTER'S DEVIL

7. any of various machines for tearing things, as paper or rags, to bits

vt.

deviled or devilled, deviling or devilling

1. [from the notion of heat] to prepare (food, often chopped food) with hot seasoning [deviled ham]

2. to tear up (rags, etc.) with a special machine

☆ 3. to annoy; torment; tease

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a devil of a

an extreme example of a

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between the devil and the deep blue sea or between the devil and the deep sea

between equally unpleasant alternatives

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give the devil his due

to acknowledge the ability or success of even a wicked or unpleasant person

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go to the devil

to fall into bad habits; degenerate morally: used also in the imperative as an expression of anger or annoyance

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play the devil with

Informal to cause to go awry; upset

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raise the devil

1. to conjure up the devil

2. Informal to make a commotion or have a boisterous good time

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the devil!

Informal an exclamation of anger, surprise, negation, etc.: often in such phrases as the devil you did!, meaning “did you really?”

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the devil to pay

trouble as a consequence