[dev.il] n [ME devel, fr. OE deofol, fr. LL diabolus, fr. Gk diabolos, lit., slanderer, fr. diaballein to throw across, slander, fr. dia- + ballein to throw; prob. akin to Skt gurate he lifts up] (bef. 12c) 1 often cap: the personal supreme spirit of evil often represented in Jewish and Christian belief as the tempter of mankind, the leader of all apostate angels, and the ruler of hell--usu. used with the--often used as an interjection, an intensive, or a generalized term of abuse "what the ~ is this?" "the ~ you say]"
2: an evil spirit: demon 3 a: an extremely wicked person: fiend b archaic: a great evil
4: a person of notable energy, recklessness, and dashing spirit; also: one who is mischievous "those kids are little ~s today"
5: fellow--usu. used in the phrases poor devil, lucky devil
6. a: something very trying or provoking "having a ~ of a time with this problem" b: severe criticism or rebuke: hell--used with the "I'll probably catch the ~ for this" 7: dust devil
8. Christian Science: the opposite of Truth: a belief in sin, sickness, and death: evil, error -- between the devil and the deep blue sea : faced with two equally objectionable alternatives -- devil to pay : severe consequences--used with the
[2]devil vt -iled or -illed ; -il.ing or -il.ling (1800) 1: to season highly "~ed eggs"
2: tease, annoy