# devil

/ˈdɛvəɫ/ (US) · /dˈɛvəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/devil
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. evil spirit

noun · CEFR B1

the most powerful evil spirit in some religions, often shown with horns and a tail.

For teachers: the supreme spirit of evil; the personification of a hostile and destructive force in various religious traditions.

- In many old stories, the hero has to trick the devil to save his soul.
- The folklore of the region is replete with tales of commoners outsmarting the devil at a crossroads to regain their lost fortunes.

### 2. mischievous person

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a person, especially a child, who is very naughty or full of energy.

For teachers: a person who is spirited, reckless, or mischievous; frequently applied to children in a lighthearted manner.

- That little devil hid my car keys just for fun.
- The boy is a total devil when his parents aren't watching, though he maintains a perfectly innocent facade in their presence.

### 3. unfortunate or lucky person

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a person you feel sorry for or who is very lucky, used in phrases like 'poor devil'.

For teachers: a person, typically male, used to express a specific evaluation of their circumstances, usually appearing in fixed phrases.

- The poor devil lost his job and his house in the same week.
- He is a lucky devil to have survived that crash without a single scratch on him.

### 4. something difficult

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

something that is very hard to do or understand.

For teachers: an object, task, or situation that is exceptionally awkward, troublesome, or difficult to manage.

- This old car engine is a devil to start in the winter.
- The final section of the exam was a real devil, requiring a level of technical knowledge that few students possessed.

### 5. to cook with spice

verb · CEFR B2

to prepare food, like eggs or meat, with a lot of hot spices.

For teachers: to prepare food with hot seasoning or spices, typically involving mustard, pepper, or cayenne.

- She decided to devil the eggs for the summer picnic.
- The chef chose to devil the kidneys, serving them on toast with a generous dusting of cayenne pepper for the breakfast menu.

### 6. to annoy

verb · CEFR C2 · Informal

to bother or annoy someone.

For teachers: to harass, pester, or annoy someone persistently.

- Stop devilling your sister and go outside to play.
- He spent the entire afternoon devilling his colleagues with trivial questions, preventing any real work from being accomplished.

## Examples

- The movie is about a man who sells his soul to the Devil.
- In many traditional stories, the Devil is a clever character who tries to trick people into making bad choices.
- The protagonist's internal struggle is personified as a dialogue with the Devil, representing the darker impulses that threaten to undermine his moral resolve.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.