Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - devil

(devils) 1. In Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, the Devil is the most powerful evil spirit. = Satan N-PROPER: the N 2. A devil is an evil spirit. ...the idea of angels with wings and devils with horns and hoofs. = demon N-COUNT 3. You can use devil to emphasize the way you feel about someone. For example, if you call someone a poor devil, you are saying that you feel sorry for them. You can call someone you are fond of but who sometimes annoys or irritates you an old devil or a little devil. (INFORMAL) I felt sorry for Blake, poor devil... N-COUNT c darkgreen]feelings 4. If you say that you are between the devil and the deep blue sea, you mean that you are in a difficult situation where you have to choose between two equally unpleasant courses of action. PHRASE: v-link PHR 5. People say speak of the devil, or in British English talk of the devil, if someone they have just been talking about appears unexpectedly. Well, talk of the devil! PHRASE 6. When you want to emphasize how annoyed or surprised you are, you can use an expression such as what the devil, how the devil, or why the devil. (INFORMAL) ‘What the devil’s the matter?’ PHRASE c darkgreen]emphasis