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# devil

«devil» in Mova's school dictionary: **the main evil spirit in some religions, the enemy of God** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a devil, devils; the Devil)

### meaning for a pupil

1) The Devil is the main evil spirit in some religions, the enemy of God. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#m1)

2) A devil is any evil spirit or demon in stories. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#m2)

3) (informal) A little devil is a naughty child or person, said fondly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#m3)

4) (informal) "Poor devil" means a person you feel sorry for; "lucky devil" means a lucky person. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#m4)

5) (mild swearing, old-fashioned) "What the devil...?" or "go to the devil!" show surprise or anger. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#m5)

6) A Tasmanian devil is a small, fierce black animal from Australia. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#m6)

### sense in the lessons

In stories and myths, devils are wicked figures with horns and tails. In everyday talk, "devil" is often a fond or mild word. In Australian science lessons, the Tasmanian devil is a marsupial. Phrases: speak of the devil (said when someone you were talking about arrives), devil's advocate, between the devil and the deep blue sea, the devil is in the detail.

### examples

- In the story, the devil tricked the farmer. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#x1)
- You little devil, you hid my keys! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#x2)
- Speak of the devil, here comes Sam now! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#x3)
- The poor devil lost his wallet and his bus ticket. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#x4)
- What the devil is that noise? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#x5)
- Tasmanian devils live only in Tasmania. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#x6)
- You won a holiday? You lucky devil! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#x7)
- I'll play devil's advocate and argue the other side. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#x8)
- The Devil got hold of me. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/#x9)

### note

Capital D for the Devil in religion. Adjective: devilish. Mild exclamations ("what the devil") are old-fashioned and informal. Devilled eggs = spicy eggs. Myth: the Tasmanian devil is not dangerous to people unless cornered.

### In the corpora

- [Tasmanian devils are the biggest living meat-eating marsupials and scavenge as well as hunt.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/167-australias-forests-and-tasmania-devils-cassowaries-and-lyrebirds/4/)
- [A contagious (catching) face cancer has killed many devils, and scientists keep healthy groups of devils safe to save the species.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/167-australias-forests-and-tasmania-devils-cassowaries-and-lyrebirds/5/)
- ["Old Nick" (old-fashioned, UK) means the Devil.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/20/)
- ["Old Scratch" (old-fashioned, US) means the Devil.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/21/)
- ["The deuce", in old exclamations like "what the deuce?", means the Devil.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/31-drinking-drugs-religion-fate/22/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «devil» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/devil/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.