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Devil   /dˈɛvəl/   Listen
noun
Devil  n.  
1.
The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind. "(Jesus) being forty days tempted of the devil." "That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world."
2.
An evil spirit; a demon. "A dumb man possessed with a devil."
3.
A very wicked person; hence, any great evil. "That devil Glendower." "The devil drunkenness." "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
4.
An expletive of surprise, vexation, or emphasis, or, ironically, of negation. (Low) "The devil a puritan that he is,... but a timepleaser." "The things, we know, are neither rich nor rare, But wonder how the devil they got there."
5.
(Cookery) A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper. "Men and women busy in baking, broiling, roasting oysters, and preparing devils on the gridiron."
6.
(Manuf.) A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc.
Blue devils. See under Blue.
Cartesian devil. See under Cartesian.
Devil bird (Zool.), one of two or more South African drongo shrikes (Edolius retifer, and Edolius remifer), believed by the natives to be connected with sorcery.
Devil may care, reckless, defiant of authority; used adjectively.
Devil's apron (Bot.), the large kelp (Laminaria saccharina, and Laminaria longicruris) of the Atlantic ocean, having a blackish, leathery expansion, shaped somewhat like an apron.
Devil's coachhorse. (Zool.)
(a)
The black rove beetle (Ocypus olens). (Eng.)
(b)
A large, predacious, hemipterous insect (Prionotus cristatus); the wheel bug. (U.S.)
Devil's darning-needle. (Zool.) See under Darn, v. t.
Devil's fingers, Devil's hand (Zool.), the common British starfish (Asterias rubens); also applied to a sponge with stout branches. (Prov. Eng., Irish & Scot.)
Devil's riding-horse (Zool.), the American mantis (Mantis Carolina).
The Devil's tattoo, a drumming with the fingers or feet. "Jack played the Devil's tattoo on the door with his boot heels."
Devil worship, worship of the power of evil; still practiced by barbarians who believe that the good and evil forces of nature are of equal power.
Printer's devil, the youngest apprentice in a printing office, who runs on errands, does dirty work (as washing the ink rollers and sweeping), etc. "Without fearing the printer's devil or the sheriff's officer."
Tasmanian devil (Zool.), a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus ursinus syn. Diabolus ursinus).
To play devil with, to molest extremely; to ruin. (Low)


verb
devil  v. t.  (past & past part. deviled or devilled; pres. part. deviling or devilling)  
1.
To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.
2.
To grill with Cayenne pepper; to season highly in cooking, as with pepper. "A deviled leg of turkey."





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Devil" Quotes from Famous Books



... erroneous conclusions, deceptive experiences, partial truths, one-sided tendencies. The clearest insight will often find it hard to decide what is the real instinct, and whether the instinct itself is, in theological language, from God or the devil. That which was a safe guide for Emerson might not work well with Lacenaire or Jesse Pomeroy. The cloud of glory which the babe brings with it into the world is a good set of instincts, which dispose it to accept moral and intellectual truths,—not the truths ...
— The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table • Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (The Physician and Poet not the Jurist)
... five and twenty, who could neither read, nor write, was seized with a nervous fever; during which, according to the asseverations of all the priests and monks of the neighbourhood, she became possessed, and, as it appeared, by a very learned devil. She continued incessantly talking Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, in very pompous tones and with most distinct enunciation. This possession was rendered more probable by the known fact that she was or had been a heretic. Voltaire humorously advises the devil ...
— Biographia Literaria • Samuel Taylor Coleridge
... for grace out of the fulness of grace in Jesus Christ. John 1, 16. On the contrary, all the evil which I will and do I ascribe to my own evil will alone, which maliciously deviates from God and His gracious will, and becomes one with the will of the devil, the world, and sinful flesh. And I am persuaded that if only my own will does not dishonestly, wilfully, and stubbornly resist the converting gracious will of God, He, by His Spirit, will bend and turn it toward that which is good, ...
— American Lutheranism - Volume 1: Early History of American Lutheranism and The Tennessee Synod • Friedrich Bente
... aplomb was gone. He stammered as he raised his hat and bade her good-morning. "I was just giving some advice to a poor devil who accosted me for alms, Miss Wallen," he said, lamely, "but I seem to have driven him off. My speeches are not universally well received, as you probably know." But Jennie was in no mood for conversation. With but scant recognition, ...
— A Tame Surrender, A Story of The Chicago Strike • Charles King
... and like fools and beggars sneak off, upon the first failure of our money! Have you no sentiments of honour? Where is the dignity of France?" "And where is the money?" said Matta; "for my men say, the devil may take them, if there be ten crowns in the house, and I believe you have not much more, for it is above a week since I have seen you pull out your purse, or count your money, an amusement you were very fond of in prosperity." "I ...
— Marguerite de Navarre - Memoirs of Marguerite de Valois Queen of Navarre • Marguerite de Navarre


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