Devilish Meaning
/ˈdɛvəlɪʃ/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjResembling a devil.
adjEvil, wicked.
Sentence Examples
That magazine article exposed his devilish acts to the full light of day.
Although it may be human to sin, it is, however, devilish to continue to sin.
Why did Yuri decide to join this devilish trio?
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
Her ____ grin suggested she was planning some mischievous prank.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
That magazine article exposed his ____ acts to the full light of day.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English develissh, develyssh, equivalent to devil + -ish. Cognate with Saterland Frisian düvelsk, düüwelsk (“devilish”), West Frisian duvelsk (“devilish”), Dutch duivels (“devilish”), German Low German düvelsk (“devilish”), German teuflisch (“devilish”), Danish djævelsk (“devilish”), Swedish djävulsk (“devilish”), Norwegian djevelsk (“devilish”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Let vs put on our meet incountering mindes, / And in deteſting ſuch a diueliſh Thiefe, / In loue of honor and defence of right / Be arm’d againſt the hate of ſuch a foe, / Whether from earth, or hell, or heauen he grow."
— c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene vi, signature [B7], recto:
"[C]urrently incarcerated Stinc Team members Ketchy the Great, SaySoTheMac, and Bambino; the devilish and gravelly Almighty Suspect; red-clad Inglewooder and headband connoisseur FreeAckrite; baby-faced Martin Luther King Park loiterer Johnny Rose; […]"
— 2019 February 5, Torii MacAdams, “The New Generation of LA Rap is Changing Everything”, in Vice:
"For I abhore to smatter / Of one so deuyllysshe a matter."
— a. 1530 (date written), John Skelton, “Here after Foloweth a Lytell Boke, whiche hath to Name Why Come Ye Nat to Courte? […]”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume II, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, page 48, lines 711–712:
"[S]ome turne agayne by grace frõ their deadly hereſies into yͤ life of faith, ⁊ ſome be ſo ſore nowſeled in the falſe hereſies, ⁊ in their obſtinate frowardneſſe take ſuch a deueliſhe delight, yͭ finally thei die therin as did Baifield, Bainã, ⁊ Tewkeſbury."
— 1532, Thomas More, “The Confutacion of [William] Tyndale’s Aunswere […]. The Maner and Order of Our Eleccion.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, page 587, columns 1–2:
"[…] devilish cruelty - for devilish cruelty it was, as three or four drivers armed with whips, lingered up and down the slowly-staggering file of Indians, and avenged every moment's lagging, even every stumble, by a blow of the cruel [whips]."
— 1855, Charles Kingsley, Westward Ho!: Or, The Voyages and Adventures of Sir Amyas Leigh, Knight, […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Macmillan & Co., →OCLC, page 383:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Her ____ grin suggested she was planning some mischievous prank.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
That magazine article exposed his ____ acts to the full light of day.