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Entry 8 senses · 2 variants Webster, 1913

Devil

/dĕvʹəl/ · Dev·il · IPA /ˈdɛvəl/
01 n. The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind.
  1. 1.
    The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind.
    “[Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil.” — Luke iv. 2.
    “That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” — Rev. xii. 9.
  2. 2.
    An evil spirit; a demon.
    “A dumb man possessed with a devil.” — Matt. ix. 32.
  3. 3.
    A very wicked person; hence, any great evil.
    “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” — John vi. 70.
  4. 4.
    An expletive of surprise, vexation, or emphasis, or, ironically, of negation.[Low]
    “The devil a puritan that he is, . . . but a timepleaser.” — Shak.
    “The things, we know, are neither rich nor rare, But wonder how the devil they got there.” — Pope.
  5. 5.
    A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper.(Cookery)
    “Men and women busy in baking, broiling, roasting oysters, and preparing devils on the gridiron.” — Sir W. Scott.
  6. 6.
    A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc.(Manuf.)
Phrases & compounds
Blue devils — See under Blue.
Cartesian devil — See under Cartesian.
Devil bird — one of two or more South African drongo shrikes (Edolius retifer, and Edolius remifer), believed by the natives to be connected with sorcery.
Devil may care — reckless, defiant of authority; -- used adjectively.
Devil's apron — the large kelp (Laminaria saccharina, and Laminaria longicruris) of the Atlantic ocean, having a blackish, leathery expansion, shaped somewhat like an apron.
Devil's coachhorse — The black rove beetle (Ocypus olens).
Devil's darning-needle — See under Darn, v. t.
Devil's fingers — the common British starfish (Asterias rubens); -- also applied to a sponge with stout branches.
Devil's riding-horse — the American mantis (Mantis Carolina).
The Devil's tattoo — a drumming with the fingers or feet.
Devil worship — worship of the power of evil; -- still practiced by barbarians who believe that the good and evil forces of nature are of equal power.
Printer's devil — the youngest apprentice in a printing office, who runs on errands, does dirty work (as washing the ink rollers and sweeping), etc.
Tasmanian devil — a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus ursinus syn. Diabolus ursinus).
To play devil with — to molest extremely; to ruin.
02 v. t. To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.
imp. & p. p. Deviled; p. pr. & vb. n. Deviling
  1. 1.
    To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.
  2. 2.
    To grill with Cayenne pepper; to season highly in cooking, as with pepper.
    “A deviled leg of turkey.” — W. Irving.