Devil /(?)/

Dev·il

Devil

n.
  1. The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind.
    [Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil.
    — Luke iv. 2.
    That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.
    — Rev. xii. 9.
  2. An evil spirit; a demon.
    A dumb man possessed with a devil.
    — Matt. ix. 32.
  3. A very wicked person; hence, any great evil.
    Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
    — John vi. 70.
  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. A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper. (Cookery)
    Men and women busy in baking, broiling, roasting oysters, and preparing devils on the gridiron.
  6. A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc. (Manuf.)

Phrases & Compounds
Blue devils
See under Blue.
Cartesian devil
See under Cartesian.
Devil bird
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
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
The black rove beetle (Ocypus olens).
Devil's darning-needle
See under Darn, v. t.
Devil's fingers
the common British starfish (Asterias rubens); -- also applied to a sponge with stout branches.
Devil's riding-horse
the American mantis (Mantis Carolina).
The Devil's tattoo
a drumming with the fingers or feet.
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.
Tasmanian devil
a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus ursinus syn. Diabolus ursinus).
To play devil with
to molest extremely; to ruin.

devil

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Deviled; p. pr. & vb. n. Deviling

  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.