Heading
- 1859. Punch, vol. XXXVI, p. 82.
'An author's paradise.' A place where there are no printers' DEVILS.
1863. Alex. Smith, Dreamthorp, p. 211. He wrote in a leisurely world, when there was plenty of time for writing and reading; long before the advent of the printer's devil or of Mr. Mudie.
3. (nautical).—See quot.
- 1883. Illustrated London News,
16 June, p. 603, col. 2. It is proposed to prevent the use of the DEVIL, a kind of sharpened anchor, at the bows of a trawler for cutting the nets of drifters in the North Sea.#
4. (old).—A firework.
- 1742. Fielding, Joseph Andrews;
bk. III., ch. vii. The captain, perceiving an opportunity, pinned a cracker or DEVIL to the cassock, and then lighted it.#
5. (licensed victuallers').—Gin seasoned with capsicums. Cf., following sense.
- 1828. G. Smeaton, Doings in
London. The extract of Capsicums or extract of Grains of Paradise is known in the gin-selling trade by the appellation of the DEVIL. They are manufactured by putting a quantity of small East India chillies into a bottle of spirits of wine and keeping it closely stopped for about a month.#
6. (common).—A grilled bone seasoned with mustard and cayenne. Cf., Attorney.
7. (military).—A sand-storm.
- 1889. Daily News, 8 July. 'The
Camp at Wimbledon.' They raised also clouds of dust that went whirling across the common in spiral cones like desert DEVILS.
8. (common).—A species of firewood soaked in resin.
The or A DEVIL OF [A THING], adj. and adv. (colloquial).—An indefinite intensitive: e.g., DEVIL of a mess, of a woman, of a row, etc.
- 1602. Shakspeare, Twelfth Night,
ii., 3. The DEVIL, a puritan that he is, or anything constantly.
1836. Michael Scott, Cruise of the Midge\t&. 1860], p. 102. A DEVIL of a good fight he made of it.
1836. Michael Scott, Cruise of the Midge [ed. 1860], p. 298. The DEVIL A THING was there in sight, not even a small white speck of a sail.
American devil, subs. phr.
(workmen's).—A steam whistle
or 'hooter'; used in place of a
bell for summoning to work.
1872. Manchester Guardian, 24 Sept. Mr. Powell's Bill contains abundant powers for suppressing the vile nuisance known as the American devil, and should any man suffer from it in future he will have nobody to thank but himself.
Blue devils.—See ante.
Little (or YOUNG) DEVIL, subs. phr. (common).—A half playful, half sarcastic, address; a term of endearment; e.g., YOU LITTLE DEVIL. Cf., YOU YOUNG TINKER.
1841. R. B. Peake, Court and City, Act i., Sc. 1. My wife was such an unreasonable LITTLE DEVIL, as to ask me forty questions about my staying out so late.
Verb (common).—1. To act as a DEVIL (q.v., subs.); to perform routine or detail work for another.
1872. Daily Telegraph, 30 Nov. Letter. 'Called to the Bar.' Then I took legislative rambles in the Courts, so that I might see practice, and that practitioners might see me; and then I DEVILLED and reported a little.
1883. Graphic, 12 May, p. 478, col. 2. The practice prevailing among eminent counsel of undertaking more cases than they can possibly manage, and handing over some to the juniors who DEVIL for them.
2. (American cadet).—To victimize.
What, Who, When, Where, or How the Devil, phr. (common).—An expletive of wonder, vexation, etc.
