/ ˈdevl; NAmE / noun
1.
the Devil ( in the Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions ) the most powerful evil being
SYN Satan
2.
an evil spirit :
They believed she was possessed by devils.
3.
( informal ) a person who behaves badly, especially a child :
a naughty little devil
4.
( informal ) used to talk about sb and to emphasize an opinion that you have of them :
I miss the old devil, now that he's gone.
She's off to Greece for a month—lucky devil!
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IDIOMS
- be a devil
- better the devil you know (than the devil you don't)
- between the devil and the deep blue sea
- the devil
- the devil looks after his own
- the devil makes work for idle hands
- a devil of a job / time
- go to the devil!
- like the devil
- speak / talk of the devil
- what, where, who, why, etc. the devil ...
—more at pay verb
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English dēofol (related to Dutch duivel and German Teufel ), via late Latin from Greek diabolos accuser, slanderer (used in the Septuagint to translate Hebrew śāṭān Satan), from diaballein to slander, from dia across + ballein to throw.