■ noun
1》 (usu. the Devil ) (in Christian and Jewish belief) the supreme spirit of evil; Satan.
↘an evil spirit; a demon.
2》 a very wicked or cruel person.
↘a mischievously clever or self-willed person.
3》 ( the ~ ) fighting spirit; wildness: he was born with the ~ in him.
4》 ( the ~ ) a thing that is very difficult or awkward to do or deal with.
5》 informal a person with specified characteristics: you lucky ~.
6》 ( the ~ ) expressing surprise or annoyance in various questions or exclamations.
7》 an instrument or machine used for tearing or other destructive work.
8》 informal, dated a junior assistant of a barrister or other professional. See also printer's ~ .
■ verb ( ~s , ~ling , ~led ; US ~s , ~ing , ~ed )
1》 informal, dated act as a junior assistant for a barrister or other professional.
2》 N. Amer. harass or worry.
Phrases
be a ~! Brit. informal said when encouraging someone to do something that they are hesitating to do.
between the ~ and the deep blue sea caught in a dilemma.
~-may-care cheerful and reckless.
the ~'s dozen thirteen.
the ~'s in the detail the details of a matter are its most problematic aspect.
the ~ to pay serious trouble to be dealt with.
like the ~ with great speed or energy.
play the ~ with have a damaging or disruptive effect on.
speak (or talk ) of the ~ said when a person appears just after being mentioned. [from the superstition that the ~ will appear if his name is spoken.]
Origin
OE dēofol , via late L. from Gk diabolos 'accuser, slanderer' (used in the Septuagint to translate Heb. śāṭān 'Satan'), from diaballein 'to slander'.