/'devl; `dɛvl/
n
1 (a) the Devil supreme evil being; Satan 魔鬼; 撒旦
*The Devil tempted Adam and Eve. 魔鬼诱惑了亚当和夏娃.
(b) wicked spirit 魔鬼; 鬼怪
*He believes in devils and witches. 他相信魔鬼、巫婆这类事.
2 (infml 口)
(a) wicked or mischievous person 恶人; 坏蛋; 调皮鬼; 淘气鬼
*My niece is a little devil. 我的侄女是个调皮鬼.
* He's a devil with (ie flirts with) the ladies. 他是个玩弄女性的家伙.
(b) (used for emphasis 用以加强语气) person 人; 家伙
*The poor/lucky devil! 多可怜[幸运]的家伙!
* Which silly devil left the fire on all day? 是哪个笨蛋没将炉火熄掉, 烧了这一整天?
3 (idm 习语) be a `devil (infml joc 口, 谑) used to encourage sb to do sth he is hesitating to do 用以在某人迟疑时鼓励他去做某事
*Go on, be a devil tell me what they said. 来, 怕什么--尽管告诉我他们说了些什么. better the devil you know => better2. between the ,devil and the ,deep (blue) `sea in a situation where there are two equally unacceptable alternatives 进退维谷; 左右为难. the devil (used for emphasis in questions 在疑问句中用以加强语气)
*What/Who/Why/Where the devil is that? 到底是什么鬼名堂[是哪个家伙/是为什么/是在什么鬼地方]? the (very) `devil (sth) difficult or unpleasant 困难的或令人不愉快的（事物）
*This job is the very devil. 这工作十分棘手.
* These pans are the (very) devil to clean. 这些锅太难洗乾净了. the `devil you will/won't, she can/can't, etc (infml 口) (used to emphasize a statement of refusal, an expression of surprise, etc 用作强调表示拒绝、惊讶等的语句)
*`I'm going to a party. ' `The devil you are!', ie I forbid it. ｀我要去参加一个聚会.＇｀你敢!＇（我不准）. the ,devil looks ,after his `own (saying 谚) success comes to those who deserve it least 魔鬼保佑恶人（最不配成功者却能获得成功）; 小人行大运. the devil makes work for idle hands (saying 谚) when people do not have enough work to do, they get into or make trouble 闲则生非. a devil of a sth/sb (dated infml 旧, 口) (used for emphasis 用以加强语气) very remarkable, difficult, awkward, etc thing or person 非常突出、麻烦、糟糕等的事或人
*a devil of a pretty woman 漂亮得不得了的女人. devil's `advocate person who speaks against sb or sth simply to encourage discussion 故意提出异议以激发辩论的人; 故意唱反调的人
*I don't really believe in capital punishment, I'm just playing the devil's advocate. 我并非真正主张应该有死刑, 只是故意唱唱反调罢了. the devil's own luck very good luck 极佳的运气; 鸿运. the devil take the `hindmost everybody should look after himself and not care about others 魔鬼专抓落後的（人人应自保, 不可顾他人）; 要鬼捉不到, 抢在人前逃
*In this business you have to be tough, and the devil take the hindmost. 干这一行必须心狠, 谁顾别人谁吃亏. give the devil his `due be just, even to those who do not deserve it 不管人好人坏, 都要公平对待; 平心而论. go to the `devil! (dated 旧) damn you! 去你的! 见鬼去吧! have a/the devil of a job doing sth (infml 口) find sth very difficult 觉得某事十分困难
*I'm having a devil of a job fixing my car. 我修我这辆汽车可费劲了. like the `devil (infml 口) very hard, intensively, etc 很卖力地、强烈地等; 拚命地
*run, work like the devil 拚命跑、干. needs must when the devil drives => needs (need). play the devil with sth (infml 口) harm or make sth worse 伤害; 使某事物恶化
*Cold weather plays the devil with my rheumatism. 天一冷, 我的风湿病就犯了. speak/talk of the `devil (saying infml 谚, 口) (said when sb one has been talking about appears 用于说到某人, 某人就到的场合). there'll be the `devil to pay (infml 口) there will be trouble as the result of sth 那就麻烦了; 那就糟糕了; 那就要倒霉了
*There'll be the devil to pay if you scratch my car! 你要是划坏了我的汽车你就有麻烦了! the world, the flesh and the devil => world.

/'devl; `dɛvl/
v (-ll-; US -l-)
1 [Tn] grill (sth) with mustard, curry, etc 加芥末、咖喱等烧烤（某物）
*devilled kidneys/ham/turkey 加辛辣调味品的烤腰子[火腿/火鸡].
2 [I, Ipr] ~ (for sb) (Brit) work as an assistant to (a barrister) 给（律师）做助手.

n
[Language: Old English;Origin: deofol, from Greek diabolos]
the devilalsothe Devil
the most powerful evil spirit in some religions, especially in Christianity
= Satan
[C]
an evil spirit
= demon
　The villagers believed a devil had taken control of his body.
speak of the devilalsotalk of the devilBrE
spoken used when someone you have just been talking about walks into the room where you are
poor/lucky/handsome etc devil
spoken used to talk about someone who you feel sorry for, who is lucky etc
　What on earth is wrong with the poor devil?
little/old devil
spoken used to talk about a child or an older man who behaves badly, but who you like
　He's a naughty little devil.
　I really miss the old devil.
be a devil
BrE spoken used to persuade someone to do something they are not sure they should do
　Go on, be a devil, have another gin and tonic.
what/who/why etc the devil?
old-fashioned spoken used to show that you are surprised or annoyed
　How the devil should I know what she's thinking?
a devil of a time/job etc
old-fashioned spoken a difficult or unpleasant time, job etc
　We had a devil of a job trying to get the carpet clean again.
go to the devil!
old-fashioned spoken used to tell someone rudely to go away or stop annoying you
do sth like the devil
old-fashioned spoken to do something very fast or using a lot of force
　They rang the bell and ran like the devil.
better the devil you know (than the devil you don't)
used to say that it is better to deal with someone or something you know, even if you do not like them, than to deal with someone or something new that might be worse
between the devil and the deep blue sea
in a difficult situation because there are only two choices you can make and both of them are unpleasant
... and the devil take the hindmost
used to say that everyone in a situation only cares about what happens to themselves and does not care about other people
→devil's advocate