devil

devil is a Noun

Definition:

[1] The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind. [Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil. Luke iv. 2. That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. Rev. xii. 9.

[2] An evil spirit; a demon. A dumb man possessed with a devil. Matt. ix. 32.

[3] A very wicked person; hence, any great evil. "That devil Glendower." "The devil drunkenness." Shak. Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil John vi. 70.

[4] An expletive of surprise, vexation, or emphasis, or, ironically, of negation. [Low] The devil a puritan that he is, . . . but a timepleaser. Shak. The things, we know, are neither rich nor rare, But wonder how the devil they got there. Pope.

[5] A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper. Men and women busy in baking, broiling, roasting oysters, and preparing devils on the gridiron. Sir W. Scott.

[6] A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc. Blue devils. See under Blue. -- Cartesian devil. See under Cartesian. -- Devil bird (Zoöl.), one of two or more South African drongo shrikes (Edolius retifer, and E. remifer), believed by the natives to be connected with sorcery. -- Devil may care, reckless, defiant of authority; -- used adjectively. Longfellow. -- Devil`s apron (Bot.), the large kelp (Laminaria saccharina, and L. longicruris) of the Atlantic ocean, having a blackish, leathery expansion, shaped somewhat like an apron. -- Devil`s coachhorse. (Zoöl.) (a) The black rove beetle (Ocypus olens). [Eng.] (b) A large, predacious, hemipterous insect (Prionotus cristatus); the wheel bug. [U.S.] -- Devil`s darning-needle. (Zoöl.) See under Darn, v. t. -- Devil`s fingers, Devil`s hand (Zoöl.), the common British starfish (Asterias rubens); -- also applied to a sponge with stout branches. [Prov. Eng., Irish & Scot.] -- Devil`s riding-horse (Zoöl.), the American mantis (Mantis Carolina). -- The Devil`s tattoo, a drumming with the fingers or feet. "Jack played the Devil`s tattoo on the door with his boot heels." F. Hardman (Blackw. Mag.). -- Devil worship, worship of the power of evil; -- still practiced by barbarians who believe that the good and evil forces of nature are of equal power. -- Printer`s devil, the youngest apprentice in a printing office, who runs on errands, does dirty work (as washing the ink rollers and sweeping), etc. "Without fearing the printer`s devil or the sheriff`s officer." Macaulay. -- Tasmanian devil (Zoöl.), a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus, or Diabolus, ursinus). -- To play devil with, to molest extremely; to ruin. [Low]