Definition of devil noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

devil

noun

ˈdevl

ˈdevl

1 the Devil (in the Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions) the most powerful evil being

Synonym

SatanHe would sell his soul to the Devil.2 an evil spiritThey believed she was possessed by devils.3 (informal) a person who behaves badly, especially a childa naughty little devil4 (informal) used to talk about somebody and to emphasize an opinion that you have of themI miss the old devil, now that he's gone.She's off to Greece for a month—lucky devil!James was a handsome devil and rich, too.

Idioms

be a devil

(British English) people say Be a devil! to encourage somebody to do something that they are not sure about doingGo on, be a devil, buy both of them.

better the devil you know (than the devil you don'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

between the devil and the deep blue sea

in a difficult situation where there are two equally unpleasant or unacceptable choices

the devil

(old-fashioned) very difficult or unpleasantThese berries are the devil to pick because they're so small.

the devil looks after his own

(saying) bad people often seem to have good luck

the devil makes work for idle hands

(saying) people who do not have enough to do often start to do wrongShe blamed the crimes on the local jobless teenagers. ‘The devil makes work for idle hands,’ she would say.

a devil of a job/time

(old-fashioned) a very difficult or unpleasant job or timeI've had a devil of a job finding you.

go to the devil!

(old-fashioned, informal) used, in an unfriendly way, to tell somebody to go away

like the devil

(old-fashioned, informal) very hard, fast, etcWe ran like the devil.

speak/talk of the devil

(informal) people say speak/talk of the devil when somebody they have been talking about appears unexpectedlyWell, speak of the devil—here's Alice now!

what, where, who, why, etc. the devil…

(old-fashioned) used in questions to show that you are annoyed or surprisedWhat the devil do you think you're doing?

more at needs must (when the devil drives) at need noun, the devil/hell to pay at pay verb, sell your soul (to the devil) at sell verb