Devil Definition
(theology) The chief devil; Satan.
- Between two equally unacceptable choices.
- Very energetic, mischievous, daring, or clever.
- To give credit to a disagreeable or malevolent person.
- To be unsuccessful; fail.
- To become depraved.
- To upset or ruin.
Other Word Forms of Devil
Noun
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Devil
- between the devil and the deep blue sea
- full of the devil
- give the devil his due
- go to the devil
- play the devil with
- the devil take the hindmost
- the devil to pay
- a devil of a
- between the devil and the deep (blue) sea
- give the devil his due
- go to the devil
- play the devil with
- raise the devil
- the devil!
- the devil to pay
Origin of Devil
From Old English dēofol, from Ancient Greek διάβολος (diabolos, “accuser, slanderer”), also as "Satan" (in Jewish/Christian usage, translating Biblical Hebrew שטן, satán), from διαβάλλω (diaballō, “to slander”), literally “to throw across”, from διά (dia, “through, across”) + βάλλω (ballō, “throw”). The Old English word was probably adopted under influence of Latin diabolus (itself from the Greek). Other Germanic languages adopted the word independently: compare Dutch duivel, Low German düvel, German Teufel, Swedish djävul (older: djefvul, Old Swedish diævul, Old Norse djǫfull).
From Wiktionary
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Middle English devel from Old English dēofol from Latin diabolus from Late Greek diabolos from Greek slanderer from diaballein to slander dia- dia- ballein to hurl gwelə- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
See devil
From Wiktionary
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