devil-likeadj.adv.

1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) viii. l. 895 His dewyllyk deid, he did in-to Scotland.

1519 D. James tr. Catherine of Siena Orcharde of Syon (de Worde) v. iv. sig. t.i^v/2 Ther be some that be so deuyll lyke, that..they take that blessyd sacrament in vnreuerence.

1610 J. Healey tr. St. Augustine Citie of God iv. xxxii. 194 Deuil-like Princes perswaded their people to their owne vaine inuentions.

1658 T. Swadlin To Nobility & Gentry 6 Whether I have not resolved to deny relief to them that want? This is Devil-like.

1722 E. Haywood Brit. Recluse 73 With more than Devil-like cruelty.

1796 P. Werden Lett. to Friend: Remarks Pamphlet J. Scott v. 29 Why is Judas distinguished by himself, when every one of them must be Devil-like as well as he.

1831 G. P. R. James Philip Augustus I. vi. 115 To his various unaccountable contortions he added the very devil-like act of leading them into a scrape, and then triumphing in their defeat.

?1872 W. P. Mackay Grace & Truth 215 What a devil-like intention!

1941 Brownsville (Texas) Herald 27 Sept. 3/5 It is the tragedy of our times that God-like man should choose to make himself so devil-like.

2005 J. Penrose Rome & her Enemies iv. 254 The devil-like figure of Angra Mainyu.., an evil being who personifies death and violence.

1577 J. Dee Gen. Mem. Arte Nauig. To Rdr. sig. Δ.ij^v Such Murders and Treasons, as (most diuell like) they haue imagined, and reported to be.

1648 S. H. Knaves & Fooles in Folio 8 Doth not the Scot deal Divel-like?

a1688 J. Bunyan Jerusalem-sinner Saved (1689) 167 Who has..thus horribly, and Devil-like, contemned and trampled upon him.

1717 L. Howel Desiderius 104 Tho' themselves, Devil-like, are never the better for doing us this Mischief.

1748 S. Richardson Clarissa V. lxi. 367 Thou canst write devil-like to Belford.

1821 Morning Chron. 23 June They..put some unpleasant interrogatories as to whether he had not himself (devil like) pressingly importuned the parties to get the very copies in question.

1849 Sheffield & Rotherham Independent 22 Sept. They tempted me to contumacy. And then, after tempting me, they accused me, devil-like, of that contumacy.

1904 Attica (Indiana) Daily Ledger 3 Sept. It [sc. drink] holds him, devil-like, with a terrible grasp.

1986 Callaloo No. 26. 166 To bedevil someone is to cause the object to become inhabited or possessed by a devil, and to act devil-like, as a consequence.

2006 Bk. Hist. 9 241 In the top left-hand corner, the King..hovers devil-like over a peaceful and static scene picturing Huckleberry and Jim sitting in their skiff.