| 单词 | devil |
| 释义 | devil n. & v. --n 1. (usu. the Devil) (in Christian and Jewish belief) the supreme spirit of evil; Satan. 2. a an evil spirit; a demon; a superhuman malignant being. b a personified evil force or attribute. 3. a a wicked or cruel person. b a mischievously energetic, clever, or self-willed person. 4. colloq. a person, a fellow (lucky devil). 5. fighting spirit, mischievousness (the devil is in him tonight). 6. colloq. something difficult or awkward (this door is a devil to open). 7. (the devil or the Devil) colloq. used as an exclamation of surprise or annoyance (who the devil are you?). 8. a literary hack exploited by an employer. 9. Brit. a junior legal counsel. 10. = Tasmanian devil. 11. applied to various instruments and machines, esp. when used for destructive work. 12. S.Afr. = dust devil. --v (devilled, devilling; US deviled, deviling) 1. tr. cook (food) with hot seasoning. 2. intr. act as a devil for an author or barrister. 3. tr. US harass, worry. Phrases and idioms between the devil and the deep blue sea in a dilemma. devil-may-care cheerful and reckless. a devil of colloq. a considerable, difficult, or remarkable. devil a one not even one. devil ray any cartilaginous fish of the family Mobulidae, esp. the manta. devil's advocate a person who tests a proposition by arguing against it. devil's bit any of various plants whose roots look bitten off, esp. a kind of scabious (Succisa pratensis). devil's coach-horse Brit. a large rove-beetle, Staphylinus olens. devil's darning-needle a dragonfly or damselfly. devil's dozen thirteen. devils-on-horseback a savoury of prune or plum wrapped in slices of bacon. devil's own colloq. very difficult or unusual (the devil's own job). devil take the hindmost a motto of selfish competition. the devil to pay trouble to be expected. go to the devil 1. be damned. 2. (in imper.) depart at once. like the devil with great energy. play the devil with cause severe damage to. printer's devil hist. an errand-boy in a printing office. speak (or talk) of the devil said when a person appears just after being mentioned. the very devil (predic.) colloq. a great difficulty or nuisance. Etymology: OE deofol f. LL diabolus f. Gk diabolos accuser, slanderer f. dia across + ballo to throw |
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