devil
An evil creature, the objectification of a hostile and destructive forceAn evil creature, the objectification of a hostile and destructive force.
» What the devil are you doing?
Was, zum Teufel, tust du?
Что, чёрт возьми, ты делаешь?
Що ти, в біса, робиш?
Що ти, до біса, робиш?!
Meaning
16 sensesAn evil creature, the objectification of a hostile and destructive force.
Teufel, Tüüfel
чёртčort, дья́волdʹjávol, бесbes
чортčort, бісbis, дия́волdyjávol
A man with red or orange skin and a pair of horns on his head, a pointed goatee, and a long tail, who carries a pitchfork, represents evil, and is portrayed to children as a boogeyman who punishes bad behavior.
The bad part of the conscience; the opposite to the angel.
The devil in me wants to let him suffer.
Teufel, Tüüfel
A wicked or naughty person, or one who harbors reckless, spirited energy, especially in a mischievous way; usually said of a young child.
Those two kids are devils in a toy store.
Teufel, Teufelin, Tüüfel
чёртčort, дья́волdʹjávol
a rowdy or mischievous person (usually a young man)
A thing that is awkward or difficult to understand or do.
That math problem was a devil.
чертовщи́наčertovščína, дья́вольщинаdʹjávolʹščina
(euphemistic)Hell.
What in the devil is that?
What the devil is that?
Teufel, Tüüfel
чёртčort, дья́волdʹjávol
A person, especially a man; used to express a particular opinion of him, usually in the phrases poor devil and lucky devil.
Teufel, Tüüfel
A printer's assistant.
(India)A poltergeist that haunts printing works.
(Australia, Ireland, UK)A lawyer’s assistant.
A dust devil.
(dialectal, in compounds)A barren, unproductive and unused area.
devil strip
Examples
342 sentencesWhat the devil are you doing?
Що ти, в біса, робиш?
ruЧто, чёрт возьми, ты делаешь?
deWas, zum Teufel, tust du?
The devil made you do it.
Диявол примусив тебе це зробити.
The man sold his soul to the devil.
Ця людина продала душу дияволу.
ruЭтот человек продал душу дьяволу.
deDer Mann verkaufte dem Teufel seine Seele.
The devil made me do it.
deDer Teufel hat mich dazu gezwungen.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don't.
ruДьявол, которого ты знаешь, лучше дьявола, которого ты не знаешь.
deDer Teufel, den du kennst, ist besser als der Teufel, den du nicht kennst.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 2
By meaning 2
Origin
From Middle English devil, devel, deovel, from Old English dēofol, from Proto-West GermaniFrom Middle English devil, devel, deovel, from Old English dēofol, from Proto-West Germanic *diubul, from Latin diabolus, ultimately from Ancient Greek διάβολος (diábolos, “false accuser, slanderer”), also as "Satan" (in Jewish/Christian usage, translating Biblical Hebrew שָׂטָן (śātān)), from διαβάλλω (diabállō, “to slander”), literally “to throw across”, from διά (diá, “through, across”) + βάλλω (bállō, “throw”). The Old English word was probably adopted under influence of Latin diabolus (itself from the Greek). Other Germanic languages adopted the word independently: compare Saterland Frisian Düüwel (“devil”), West Frisian duvel (“devil”), Dutch duivel, duvel (“devil”), German Low German Düvel (“devil”), German Teufel (“devil”), Bavarian Teifl (“devil”), Danish djævel (“devil”), Swedish djävul (“devil”) (older: djefvul, Old Swedish diævul, Old Norse djǫfull). Doublet of diable, diablo, and diabolus.
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Forms
plural: devilsSynonyms
30 synonyms- a word used in exclamations of confusion:deucedickens
- an evil supernatural being:fienddemondaemondaimon
- (Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell:SatanOld NickLuciferBeelzebubthe TempterPrince of Darkness
- a rowdy or mischievous person (usually a young man):hellionheller
- a cruel wicked and inhuman person:monsterfienddemonogre