Is it offensive to call someone 'a devil'?

It depends on context and tone. 'You little devil!' can be affectionate for a mischievous child. Calling an adult 'a devil' directly is usually negative and can be offensive, implying wickedness.

What's the difference between 'devil' and 'demon'?

In theology, 'the Devil' (capitalized) is the singular supreme evil being (Satan). 'Demon' refers to a lesser evil spirit. Generally, 'demon' is more common in non-Christian contexts and fantasy, while 'devil' is more specific to Christian cosmology and figurative speech.

Why is 'devil' used in foods like 'devilled eggs' or 'devil's food cake'?

Historically, 'to devil' meant to season food highly, especially with mustard or pepper, making it 'hot' or 'fiery'—hence associated with the devil and hellfire. 'Devil's food cake' is the rich, dark chocolate counterpart to 'angel's food cake' (white and light).

Is the phrase 'Speak of the devil' considered impolite?

Not typically; it's a light-hearted, idiomatic way to remark on someone's unexpected arrival, akin to 'We were just talking about you!' It's informal and not usually taken as a serious reference to evil.

devil

UK/ˈdev.əl/US/ˈdev.əl/

Informal, literary, theological; can be used humorously or as a mild expletive.

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

A powerful, supernatural being of evil, the supreme spirit of evil in Christian theology; a cruel, wicked, or malevolent person.

Used to refer to a mischievous, daring, or energetic person or thing; a thing that is very difficult or awkward to deal with; used as a mild exclamation of surprise, annoyance, or emphasis (e.g., 'What the devil?').

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Highly polysemous word ranging from theological 'supreme evil being' to figurative 'difficult problem' to colloquial intensifier. Capitalized when referring specifically to Satan.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Slightly higher frequency and acceptance as a mild expletive in UK English ('Oh devil!', 'the devil of a job'). In US English, 'the devil is in the details' is more common than UK 'the devil in the detail'.

Connotations

In UK, 'devil' can be used more playfully (e.g., 'a lucky devil'). US usage often carries stronger negative connotations.

Frequency

Comparable frequency; theological use is formal register in both. Colloquial expletive use is more common in UK.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

the Devilspeak/talk of the devilsell one's soul to the devila devil of adevil's advocate

medium

poor/lucky devillittle devilplay devil's advocatebetween the devil and the deep blue seathe devil to pay

weak

devil-may-care attitudedaredevildust devildevil's food cakego to the devil

Grammar

Valency Patterns

be a devil of a [noun]play the devil with somethinggive the devil his due[verb] like the devil

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

SatanBeelzebubLuciferMephistophelesthe Prince of Darkness

Neutral

fienddemonevil spiritarchfiend

Weak

roguerascalscampimpmischief-maker

Vocabulary

Antonyms

angelsaintparagoncherub

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“Speak of the devil!”
“The devil is in the details.”
“Better the devil you know.”
“Needs must when the devil drives.”
“Give the devil his due.”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Informally used to describe a particularly difficult problem or person: 'The new compliance software is a devil to configure.'

Academic

Primarily in theological, literary, or historical contexts; 'Milton's depiction of the Devil.'

Everyday

As a mild expletive or to describe a mischievous person/thing: 'The little devil hid my keys again!'

Technical

Used metaphorically in engineering/physics (e.g., 'Maxwell's demon', though not 'devil'); rare in formal technical writing.

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

The tailors devilled the seams with great care.
(archaic) He was devilled by guilt.

American English

She spent the morning devilling eggs for the picnic.
The lawyer devilled the witness with relentless questions.

adverb

British English

(informal, intensifier) It's devilish cold in here.
She ran devilish fast.

American English

(rare, intensifier) He's devilish clever with numbers.
The road was devilish slippery after the rain.

adjective

British English

He has a rather devil-may-care approach to deadlines.
It was a devilish difficult puzzle.

American English

That's a devilish complex problem.
She played a devilish trick on her brother.

Examples

By CEFR Level

The film had a scary devil in it.
My little brother is a cheeky devil!

He decided to play devil's advocate during the meeting to ensure all viewpoints were considered.
Installing this printer driver has been a devil of a job.

The journalist acted as a devil's advocate, challenging the CEO's optimistic projections.
Between the devil and the deep blue sea, she had to choose between two equally bad options.

Milton's 'Paradise Lost' famously portrays the Devil as a tragically ambitious, charismatic figure.
The contract's annexes, where the devil truly resided in the details, took weeks to finalise.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

DEVIL contains EVIL inside it. Also, think of 'daredevil' – someone who dares like the devil.

Conceptual Metaphor

EVIL IS A PERSON (DEVIL); A DIFFICULT PROBLEM IS AN ADVERSARY (DEVIL); MISCHIEF IS PLAYFUL EVIL (LITTLE DEVIL).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Avoid direct translation for 'poor devil' (use 'бедняга'). 'What the devil?' is 'Какого чёрта?', not a literal translation involving 'дьявол'. 'The devil you know' idiom has no direct equivalent.

Common Mistakes

Capitalizing when not referring to Satan (e.g., 'He's a little Devil'). Using in overly formal contexts where 'demon' or 'fiend' is more appropriate. Misusing 'devil's advocate' to mean simply arguing, rather than deliberately taking an opposing view to test an argument.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

When you want to test an idea by arguing against it, you should play the advocate.

Multiple Choice

In the idiom 'Better the devil you know...', what is the implied meaning?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: It depends on context and tone. 'You little devil!' can be affectionate for a mischievous child. Calling an adult 'a devil' directly is usually negative and can be offensive, implying wickedness.
: In theology, 'the Devil' (capitalized) is the singular supreme evil being (Satan). 'Demon' refers to a lesser evil spirit. Generally, 'demon' is more common in non-Christian contexts and fantasy, while 'devil' is more specific to Christian cosmology and figurative speech.
: Historically, 'to devil' meant to season food highly, especially with mustard or pepper, making it 'hot' or 'fiery'—hence associated with the devil and hellfire. 'Devil's food cake' is the rich, dark chocolate counterpart to 'angel's food cake' (white and light).
: Not typically; it's a light-hearted, idiomatic way to remark on someone's unexpected arrival, akin to 'We were just talking about you!' It's informal and not usually taken as a serious reference to evil.