| 释义 |
devil Ⅰ noun 1 a barbiturate or other central nervous system depressant, especially Seconal™. A truncated form of RED DEVIL US, 1969. 2 the hallucinogen STP US, 1971. 3 a printer's apprentice or errand boy UK, 1683. 4 a white person US, 1980. 5 in craps, a seven US, 1993.► devil me arse!used as an expletive. Of Anglo-Irish origins UK, 1984.► devil of aan extreme (originally diabolical) example of something. May be used with 'a' or 'the' UK, 1767.► devil take him!; devil take you!; devil take me!; devil take it!used for expressing anger, impatience, frustration. Often used with 'the' UK, 1548.► go to the devilto fall into ruin. From about 1460, although it is recorded in Latin more than a hundred years earlier UK, 1460.► go to the devil!used as an angry expression of dismissal. If not an exclamation, certainly imperative UK, 1859.► how the devil!; what the devil!; when the devil!; where the devil!; who the devil!; why the devil!used as an impatient intensification of how, what, when, where, who, why. In early uses 'the Devil' was capitalised. 'What the devil' since about 1385. 'When the devil' since 1562. 'Where the devil', 1687. 'Who the devil', 1568. 'Why the devil', 1819 UK, 1385.► little devil; young devilused as a form of address. Often in tones of exasperation to, for instance, a wilful child; conspiratorial or playful to a (mischievous) adult UK, 1931.► the devil is rolling his oatsit is thundering CANADA, 1998.► the devil made me do it!used as a humorous excuse for misconduct. A catchphrase made wildly popular by comedian Flip Wilson on The Flip Wilson Show (NBC, 1970–74). Repeated with referential humour US, 1970.► the devil to pay; the devil and all to pay; the very devil to payvery unpleasant consequences to face up to. An echo of Faust UK, 1733 Ⅱ ⇨ devil and demon; devil noun semen. Rhyming slang UK, 2003
idiomdevil► play/be devil's advocatebetter the devil you know (than the devil you don't)used in order to say that although the person or situation you are dealing with now is difficult, it is safer to continue dealing with that situation than to try something new which may be worse:Better the devil you know than the devil you don't, and we know that at least Neil Webb is fairly responsible.The electorate may decide to stay with the devil they know, rather than risk a change of government.between the devil and the deep blue seain a difficult situation in which any choice that you make will have bad results:We were between the devil and the deep blue sea. We were told we could either continue on low pay, or get more money for very difficult working conditions. —see also (caught) between a rock and a hard placebe a devil! BrEBrEspoken a humorous expression used in order to persuade someone to do something that they are not doing but would enjoy, especially to have something nice to eat or drink:Go on, be a devil! Take a break and have a cup of coffee.Be a devil and order us a bottle of wine!the devil incarnatebad person used about someone who you think is extremely bad or immoral:Well, I didn't expect a huge welcome, but I didn't expect you all to look at me as though I were the devil incarnate, either.the devil makes/finds work for idle handsold-fashioned used in order to say that people, especially children, should always have work to do, so that they do not start to do things that are wrong or stupid:My aunt, who believes that the devil makes work for idle hands, was trying to teach me to knit.the devil take the hindmost BrEBrEold-fashioned used in order to say that people should look after themselves and not try to help anyone else, especially in a difficult or dangerous situation:Jurgis began to understand that in the city each man was against the rest, and the devil take the hindmost.Note This idiom comes from the old expression 'every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost'. People use every man for himself more frequently than this part of the idiom. give the devil his dueused in order to say that although you do not like or approve of someone, they have done something good or have some good quality:Hammond is very right-wing but he's not a racist, to give the devil his due.Giving the devil his due, I have to admit that my grandmother was sometimes extremely generous to us. —compare give sb his/her duego to the devil!old-fashioned a rude expression used in order to tell someone to go away:Oh, go the devil and leave me in peace!needs must (when the devil drives) BrEBrEold-fashioned used in order to say that you must do something that you do not want to do, because you are in a difficult situation:I wouldn't normally make the journey in this weather, but needs must when the devil drives.I don't like leaving the children with Tessa - needs must, I suppose.talk/speak of the devilspoken said when a person who you are talking about comes into the room:Oh, talk of the devil, Mandy, Sue was just saying that you're going on holiday next week.Here comes your dad - speak of the devil.there'll be the devil to payold-fashioned used in order to say that you will have a lot of trouble if something happens, especially if someone finds out what you are doing:Don't tell Sam's wife he's in the bar, or there'll be the devil to pay. —see also there'll be (all) hell to pay
*devilFig. a severe scolding. (*Typically: get ~; Catch ~; give someone ~.) Bill is always getting the devil about something. I'm late. If I don't get home soon, I'll catch the devil! See:- (as) black as the devil
- (as) hot as the devil
- (in) the devil
- (just) for the devil of it
- a devil of a
- a devil of a job
- a devil of a time
- a/the devil of a job, nuisance, fellow, etc.
- a/the devil's advocate
- an idle brain is the devil's workshop
- be (the) devil's advocate
- be a devil
- be a devil!
- better the devil you know
- better the devil you know than the devil you don't
- better the devil you know than the devil you don't know
- better the devil you know than the one you don't know
- between a rock and a hard place
- between the devil and the deep blue sea
- blue devils
- catch the devil
- caught between the devil and the deep blue sea
- crafty devil
- devil
- devil (someone or something) for (something)
- devil and deep blue sea
- devil can quote Scripture for his own purpose
- devil finds work for idle hands to do
- devil for
- devil in disguise
- devil is not so black as he is painted
- devil looks after his own
- devil of a
- devil of a job
- devil of a time
- devil take the hindmost
- devil take the hindmost, the
- devil to pay, the
- devil you know is better than the devil you don't know, the
- devil-may-care
- devil-may-care attitude
- devil's advocate
- devil's advocate, (to play)
- devil's children have the devil's luck
- dine with the devil
- Every man for himself
- every man for himself and the devil take the hindmost
- folk devil
- for the devil of it
- full of it
- full of the devil
- get the devil
- give (one) the devil
- give someone hell
- give the devil his due
- give the devil his/her due
- Go to blazes!
- go to hell
- go to the devil
- Go to the devil!
- go to the devil/hell
- God sends meat and the devil sends cooks
- have the devil to pay
- have the devil's own job
- have the devil's own luck
- have the luck of the devil
- He who sups with the devil should have a long spoon
- hell/the devil to pay
- idle brain is the devil's workshop
- idle hands are the devil's playthings
- idle hands are the devil's tools
- idle hands are the devil's workshop
- like the devil
- luck of the devil
- luck of the devil/draw/Irish
- lucky devil
- Needs must when the devil drives
- paint the devil on the wall
- play (the) devil's advocate
- play devil's advocate
- play hell with someone/something
- play the devil with
- play the devil with (something)
- play the devil with someone/something
- raise Cain
- raise the devil
- raise the devil with (someone or something)
- raise the devil with someone
- raise the devil with something
- sell (one's) soul (to the devil)
- Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll ride to the devil
- Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll ride to the devil.
- speak of the devil
- speak of the devil, and he appears
- speak of the devil, and he is sure to appear
- speak of the devil, and he shall appear
- speak of the devil, and he will appear
- speak/talk of the devil
- sup with the devil
- talk of the devil
- talk of the devil, and he is bound to appear
- talk of the devil, and he is sure to appear
- talk of the devil, and he shall appear
- talk of the devil, and he will appear
- Tell the truth and shame the devil
- the devil
- the devil can quote scripture for his own purpose
- the devil finds work for idle hands
- the devil finds work for idle hands to do
- the devil is beating his wife
- the devil is in the detail
- the devil is in the detail(s)
- the devil is meeting his wife
- the devil is not so black as he is painted
- the devil looks after his own
- the devil makes work for idle hands
- the devil of a time
- the devil take the hindmost
- the devil to pay
- the devil you know
- the devil’s own time
- the devil's children have the devil's luck
- the devil's in the detail
- the devil's own
- the devil's own (something)
- the devil's own luck
- the devil's own time
- the luck of the devil
- the world, the flesh, and the devil
- There will be hell to pay
- there will be the devil to pay
- what (in) the devil
- what goes over the devil's back comes under his belly
- What in the devil?
- What the devil?
- Who in the devil?
- Who in the hell?
- Who the devil?
- who, what, where, etc. the devil...
- You scared the hell out of me
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