devil

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Occult

dev·il /ˈdevəl/ ●●○ S3 noun  1. the devil  (also the Devil)RRC the most powerful evil spirit in some religions, especially in Christianity 〔尤指基督教中的〕魔鬼 SYN Satan2  [countable]RFRO an evil spirit 邪魔，邪灵 SYN demon The villagers believed a devil had taken control of his body. 村民们认为他被邪魔附身了。3. speak of the devil  (also talk of the devil British English) spokenARRIVE used when someone you have just been talking about walks into the room where you are 正说到某人他就来了；说曹操，曹操到4  poor/lucky/handsome etc devil spokenPERSON/PEOPLE used to talk about someone who you feel sorry for, who is lucky etc 可怜/幸运/漂亮等的家伙 What on earth is wrong with the poor devil? 这可怜的家伙到底怎么了？5  little/old devil spoken used to talk about a child or an older man who behaves badly, but who you like 小鬼头/老鬼头 He’s a naughty little devil. 他是个顽皮的小鬼头。 I really miss the old devil. 我非常想念这老鬼头。6  be a devil PERSUADE British English spoken used to persuade someone to do something they are not sure they should do 别怕，勇敢些〔用来说服某人做犹豫不决的事〕 Go on, be a devil, have another gin and tonic. 来，怕什么，再来一杯金汤力。7  what/who/why etc the devil? SURPRISEDANNOY old-fashioned spoken used to show that you are surprised or annoyed 究竟是什么鬼名堂/哪个鬼家伙/为什么？〔表示惊讶或恼怒〕 How the devil should I know what she’s thinking? 我怎么会知道她到底在想些什么？8  a devil of a time/job etc old-fashioned spoken a difficult or unpleasant time, job etc 难熬的时光/费力的工作等 We had a devil of a job trying to get the carpet clean again. 我们费了死劲想重新把地毯清洗干净。9. go to the devil! old-fashioned spokenLEAVE A PLACE used to tell someone rudely to go away or stop annoying you 滚开！去你的！10  do something like the devil FAST/QUICKSTRONG PERSON old-fashioned spoken to do something very fast or using a lot of force 拼命地做某事，使劲地做某事 They rang the bell and ran like the devil. 他们按了门铃，然后就飞快地跑开了。11. better the devil you know (than the devil you don’t) KNOW somebodyused to say that it is better to deal with someone or something you know, even if you do not like them, than to deal with someone or something new that might be worse 宁跟认识的魔鬼打交道（也比跟不认识的魔鬼打交道好），两害相权取其轻12. between the devil and the deep blue sea in a difficult situation because there are only two choices you can make and both of them are unpleasant 进退维谷，左右为难13. ... and the devil take the hindmost used to say that everyone in a situation only cares about what happens to themselves and does not care about other people 要鬼捉不到，抢在人前逃〔形容人人只顾自己而不管别人〕14. the devil makes/finds work for idle hands used to say that people who do not have enough to do will start to do bad things 人闲魔鬼找〔指人有空闲就会做坏事〕n15. the devil is in the detail used to say that the details of a plan, agreement etc are very important and may result in problems → devil's advocate

Examples from the Corpus

devil• Beside him stood a devil in red tights with horns and a forked tail.• If we come really unstuck, then we can blame the devil!• But he was an old man nevertheless, with young boys being so close and full of the devil.• There was a representation of the devil carrying off the wicked to Hades.• The Bible makes it clear that the devil and his forces are the masters of misrepresentation.• I said, if it wasn't true, then the devils would be exorcized.• What the devil does he want?Origin devil Old English deofol, from Greek diabolos

dev·il nounLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

most evil Corpus spirit powerful the some in

devil
dev‧il S3 /ˈdevəl/ noun1. the devil (also the Devil) the most powerful evil spirit in some religions, especially in Christianity
   SYN  Satan
2. [countable] an evil spirit
   SYN  demon:
    The villagers believed a devil had taken control of his body.
3. speak of the devil (also talk of the devil British English) spoken used when someone you have just been talking about walks into the room where you are
4. poor/lucky/handsome etc devil spoken used to talk about someone who you feel sorry for, who is lucky etc:
    What on earth is wrong with the poor devil?
5. little/old devil spoken used to talk about a child or an older man who behaves badly, but who you like:
    He’s a naughty little devil.
    I really miss the old devil.
6. be a devil British English spoken used to persuade someone to do something they are not sure they should do:
    Go on, be a devil, have another gin and tonic.
7. what/who/why etc the devil? old-fashioned spoken used to show that you are surprised or annoyed:
    How the devil should I know what she’s thinking?
8. a devil of a time/job etc old-fashioned spoken a difficult or unpleasant time, job etc:
    We had a devil of a job trying to get the carpet clean again.
9. go to the devil__ old-fashioned spoken used to tell someone rudely to go away or stop annoying you
10. do something like the devil old-fashioned spoken to do something very fast or using a lot of force:
    They rang the bell and ran like the devil.
11. better the devil you know (than the devil you don’t) used to say that it is better to deal with someone or something you know, even if you do not like them, than to deal with someone or something new that might be worse
12. between the devil and the deep blue sea in a difficult situation because there are only two choices you can make and both of them are unpleasant
13. ... and the devil take the hindmost used to say that everyone in a situation only cares about what happens to themselves and does not care about other people
14. the devil makes/finds work for idle hands used to say that people who do not have enough to do will start to do bad things
⇨ DEVIL’S ADVOCATE

devilBrE /ˈdevl/ 🔊NAmE /ˈdevl/ 🔊 nounthe Devil (in the Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions 基督教、犹太教和伊斯兰教) the most powerful evil being 魔王；撒旦 SYN Satan an evil spirit 魔鬼；恶魔◆They believed she was possessed by devils. 他们认为她是魔鬼附身。🔊🔊(informal) a person who behaves badly, especially a child 淘气鬼；冒失鬼；调皮鬼◆a naughty little devil小淘气鬼(informal) used to talk about sb and to emphasize an opinion that you have of them （强调对某人的看法）人，家伙◆I miss the old devil, now that he's gone. 老家伙这一走，我还真想他。🔊🔊◆She's off to Greece for a month—lucky devil! 她休假去希腊一个月，真够幸运的！🔊🔊●be a ˈdevil(BrE) people say Be a devil! to encourage sb to do sth that they are not sure about doing （用以鼓励）别怕，勇敢点◆Go on, be a devil, buy both of them. 来，怕什么，两个都买了吧。🔊🔊●better the ˌdevil you ˈknow (than the ˌdevil you ˈdon't)(saying) used to say that it is easier and wiser to stay in a bad situation that you know and can deal with rather than change to a new situation which may be much worse 熟悉的魔鬼比不熟悉的魔鬼好；不要嫌熟悉的环境不好，换个不熟悉的环境可能更糟●between the ˌdevil and the ˌdeep blue ˈseain a difficult situation where there are two equally unpleasant or unacceptable choices 进退维谷；左右为难●the ˈdevil(old-fashioned) very difficult or unpleasant 非常困难；令人非常不快◆These berries are the devil to pick because they're so small. 这些浆果太小了，很难摘。🔊🔊●the ˌdevil looks after his ˈown(saying) bad people often seem to have good luck 坏人多好运；坏蛋自有鬼照顾；恶人自有恶人帮●the devil makes work for idle ˈhands(saying) people who do not have enough to do often start to do wrong 人闲生是非◆She blamed the crimes on the local jobless teenagers. 'The devil makes work for idle hands,' she would say. 她认为那些违法活动是当地的无业青少年所为，总是说：“人一闲，惹麻烦。”🔊🔊●a ˈdevil of a job/time(old-fashioned) a very difficult or unpleasant job or time 费力（或令人讨厌）的事；难熬（或令人不快）的日子◆I've had a devil of a job finding you. 我费了九牛二虎之力才找到你。🔊🔊●go to the ˈdevil!(old-fashioned, informal) used, in an unfriendly way, to tell sb to go away 滚开；见鬼去；去你的●like the ˈdevil(old-fashioned, informal) very hard, fast, etc. 拼命；卖力；飞快◆We ran like the devil. 我们跑得飞快。🔊🔊●speak/talk of the ˈdevil(informal) people say speak/talk of the devil when sb they have been talking about appears unexpectedly 说到某人，某人就到◆Well, speak of the devil—here's Alice now! 嗬，说谁谁到——瞧，艾丽斯这就来啦！🔊🔊●what, where, who, why, etc. the ˈdevil…(old-fashioned) used in questions to show that you are annoyed or surprised （用于问句表示烦恼或吃惊）究竟…，到底…◆What the devil do you think you're doing? 你到底知不知道自己在干什么？🔊🔊●the ˈdevil/ˈhell to pay(informal) a lot of trouble 大麻烦；大乱子◆There'll be hell to pay when he finds out. 一旦他发现了真相，那麻烦就大了。🔊🔊●sell your ˈsoul (to the devil)to do anything, even sth bad or dishonest, in return for money, success or power 出卖灵魂（或良心）