I. e ‧ vil 1 S3 W3 /ˈiːv ə l/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: yfel ]
1 . BAD someone who is evil deliberately does very cruel things to harm other people:
an evil dictator responsible for the deaths of millions
his evil deeds
2 . WRONG something that is evil is morally wrong because it harms people SYN wicked :
They condemned slavery as evil.
3 . UNPLEASANT very unpleasant:
an evil smell
a puddle of evil black liquid
4 . DEVIL connected with the Devil and having special powers to harm people:
evil spirits
an evil spell
5 . the evil eye the power, which some people believe exists, to harm people by looking at them:
He claimed to have the power of the evil eye.
6 . the evil hour/day etc a time when you expect something unpleasant or difficult to happen:
Don’t delay, you’re only putting off the evil hour.
—evilly adverb :
Jeff grinned evilly as he picked up the phone.
II. evil 2 BrE AmE noun
1 . [countable] something that is very bad or harmful:
She wanted to protect her children from the evils of the outside world.
Poverty is one of the greatest social evils of our time.
the evils of capitalism
2 . [uncountable] cruel or morally bad behaviour in general OPP good :
There is too much evil in the world.
the eternal struggle between good and evil
⇨ the lesser of two evils at ↑ lesser (2), ⇨ necessary evil at ↑ necessary 1 (3)
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 1)
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + evil
▪ a great/greater evil
He saw fascism as the greatest evil of his times.
▪ a lesser evil (=a bad thing, but not as bad as something else)
She knew that she couldn't leave the children, so she opted for the lesser evil and stayed.
▪ a necessary evil (=something that is bad but necessary)
Most businesses see government regulation as a necessary evil.
▪ a social evil (=something bad that happens in human society)
The community is being torn apart by poverty, drug abuse and other social evils.
▪ a moral evil (=a bad thing in relation to principles of what is right and wrong)
Mental or physical torture is a moral evil, and it can never be justified.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ verbs
▪ fight/combat evil
Joan swore to fight evil in all its forms.
■ phrases
▪ good and evil
You have to teach your kids about right and wrong, good and evil.
▪ the forces of evil literary (=the people or things that increase the amount of evil in the world)
The king knew he must fight the forces of evil or his homeland would perish.
▪ something is the root of all evil (=something is the main cause of bad things)
Love of money is the root of all evil.