THE DEVIL

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does the devil mean? 

• THE DEVIL (noun)
  The noun THE DEVIL has 1 sense:

1. something difficult or awkward to do or deal with

  Familiarity information: THE DEVIL used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• THE DEVIL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Something difficult or awkward to do or deal with

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

it will be the devil to solve

Hypernyms ("the devil" is a kind of...):

difficulty; trouble (an effort that is inconvenient)

 Context examples 

But what in the name of the devil!

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

‘It was the devil, Holmes,’ he cried.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Now, that bird, he would say, is, maybe, two hundred years old, Hawkins—they live forever mostly; and if anybody's seen more wickedness, it must be the devil himself.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

But the devil in her that drives her on will not let her stop and rest the dogs.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Well, the devil may work against us for all he's worth, but God sends us men when we want them.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

All the devil that was in him challenged the devil in Wolf Larsen.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The devil, sir, for all I know.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

By Heaven! if the devil stands at the door, I sail on Wednesday.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Ma foi! camarade, to the devil with the other six!

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“You may go to the devil!” said I.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)