DEVILTRY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does deviltry mean? 

• DEVILTRY (noun)
  The noun DEVILTRY has 2 senses:

1. wicked and cruel behavior

2. reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others

  Familiarity information: DEVILTRY used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEVILTRY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Wicked and cruel behavior

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

devilry; deviltry

Hypernyms ("deviltry" is a kind of...):

evil; immorality; iniquity; wickedness (morally objectionable behavior)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

devilment; devilry; deviltry; mischief; mischief-making; mischievousness; rascality; roguery; roguishness; shenanigan

Hypernyms ("deviltry" is a kind of...):

misbehavior; misbehaviour; misdeed (improper or wicked or immoral behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "deviltry"):

blaze; hell (noisy and unrestrained mischief)

monkey business (mischievous or deceitful behavior)

hooliganism; malicious mischief; vandalism (willful wanton and malicious destruction of the property of others)

Derivation:

devil (cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations)

 Context examples 

It maddens me to think of the deviltries which they may be devising.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)