GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Found 4 definitions
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Devil , n. [AS. deófol, deóful; akin to G. teufel, Goth. diabaúlus; all fr. L. diabolus the devil, Gr. διάβολος the devil, the slanderer, fr. διαβάλλω to slander, calumniate, orig., to throw across; διά across + βάλλω to throw, let fall, fall; cf. Skr. gal to fall. Cf. Diabolic.]
- The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind.1913 Webster
[Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil.
Luke iv. 2.1913 WebsterThat old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.
Rev. xii. 9.1913 Webster - An evil spirit; a demon.1913 Webster
A dumb man possessed with a devil.
Matt. ix. 32.1913 Webster - A very wicked person; hence, any great evil. “That devil Glendower.” “The devil drunkenness.” Shak.1913 Webster
Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
John vi. 70.1913 Webster - An expletive of surprise, vexation, or emphasis, or, ironically, of negation. [Low]1913 Webster
The devil a puritan that he is, . . . but a timepleaser.
Shak.1913 WebsterThe things, we know, are neither rich nor rare,
But wonder how the devil they got there.Pope.1913 Webster - (Cookery) A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper.1913 Webster
Men and women busy in baking, broiling, roasting oysters, and preparing devils on the gridiron.
Sir W. Scott.1913 Webster - (Manuf.) A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc.1913 Webster
Blue devils. See under Blue. -- Cartesian devil. See under Cartesian. -- Devil bird (Zool.), one of two or more South African drongo shrikes (Edolius retifer, and Edolius remifer), believed by the natives to be connected with sorcery. -- Devil may care, reckless, defiant of authority; -- used adjectively. Longfellow. -- Devil's apron (Bot.), the large kelp (Laminaria saccharina, and Laminaria longicruris) of the Atlantic ocean, having a blackish, leathery expansion, shaped somewhat like an apron. -- Devil's coachhorse. (Zool.) (a) The black rove beetle (Ocypus olens). [Eng.] (b) A large, predacious, hemipterous insect (Prionotus cristatus); the wheel bug. [U.S.] -- Devil's darning-needle. (Zool.) See under Darn, v. t. -- Devil's fingers, Devil's hand (Zool.), the common British starfish (Asterias rubens); -- also applied to a sponge with stout branches. [Prov. Eng., Irish & Scot.] -- Devil's riding-horse (Zool.), the American mantis (Mantis Carolina). -- The Devil's tattoo, a drumming with the fingers or feet. “Jack played the Devil's tattoo on the door with his boot heels.” F. Hardman (Blackw. Mag.). -- Devil worship, worship of the power of evil; -- still practiced by barbarians who believe that the good and evil forces of nature are of equal power. -- Printer's devil, the youngest apprentice in a printing office, who runs on errands, does dirty work (as washing the ink rollers and sweeping), etc. “Without fearing the printer's devil or the sheriff's officer.” Macaulay. -- Tasmanian devil (Zool.), a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus ursinus syn. Diabolus ursinus). -- To play devil with, to molest extremely; to ruin. [Low]
1913 Webster
- The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind.
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devil , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deviled or Devilled; p. pr. & vb. n. Deviling or Devilling.]
- To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.1913 Webster
- To grill with Cayenne pepper; to season highly in cooking, as with pepper.1913 Webster
A deviled leg of turkey.
W. Irving.
- To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.
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Willow , n. [OE. wilowe, wilwe, AS. wilig, welig; akin to OD. wilge, D. wilg, LG. wilge. Cf. Willy.]1913 Webster
- (Bot.) Any tree or shrub of the genus Salix, including many species, most of which are characterized often used as an emblem of sorrow, desolation, or desertion. “A wreath of willow to show my forsaken plight.” Sir W. Scott. Hence, a lover forsaken by, or having lost, the person beloved, is said to wear the willow.1913 Webster
And I must wear the willow garland
For him that's dead or false to me.Campbell.1913 Webster - (Textile Manuf.) A machine in which cotton or wool is opened and cleansed by the action of long spikes projecting from a drum which revolves within a box studded with similar spikes; -- probably so called from having been originally a cylindrical cage made of willow rods, though some derive the term from winnow, as denoting the winnowing, or cleansing, action of the machine. Called also willy, twilly, twilly devil, and devil.1913 Webster
Almond willow, Pussy willow, Weeping willow. (Bot.) See under Almond, Pussy, and Weeping. -- Willow biter (Zool.) the blue tit. [Prov. Eng.] -- Willow fly (Zool.), a greenish European stone fly (Chloroperla viridis); -- called also yellow Sally. -- Willow gall (Zool.), a conical, scaly gall produced on willows by the larva of a small dipterous fly (Cecidomyia strobiloides). -- Willow grouse (Zool.), the white ptarmigan. See ptarmigan. -- Willow lark (Zool.), the sedge warbler. [Prov. Eng.] -- Willow ptarmigan (Zool.) (a) The European reed bunting, or black-headed bunting. See under Reed. (b) A sparrow (Passer salicicolus) native of Asia, Africa, and Southern Europe. -- Willow tea, the prepared leaves of a species of willow largely grown in the neighborhood of Shanghai, extensively used by the poorer classes of Chinese as a substitute for tea. McElrath. -- Willow thrush (Zool.), a variety of the veery, or Wilson's thrush. See Veery. -- Willow warbler (Zool.), a very small European warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus); -- called also bee bird, haybird, golden wren, pettychaps, sweet William, Tom Thumb, and willow wren.
1913 Webster
- (Bot.) Any tree or shrub of the genus Salix, including many species, most of which are characterized often used as an emblem of sorrow, desolation, or desertion. “A wreath of willow to show my forsaken plight.” Sir W. Scott. Hence, a lover forsaken by, or having lost, the person beloved, is said to wear the willow.