devilish, a.
(ˈdɛv(ə)lɪʃ)
[f. devil + -ish.]
1. Of persons: Having the nature or character of the devil; like a devil in character or actions.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. iv. lxv. 44 By styrynge of disclaunderous and deuylysshe persones. a 1555 Latimer Serm. (1845) 301 What marvel is it, if they call you devilish persons and heretics? 1587 Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 151 The divilish Queenes devise. 1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 249 A diuelish knaue! 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 8 A Monster not a little esteemed of amongst these Devillish Savages. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xxviii. 113 Who..censed those two divelish Monsters. 1868 Browning Ring & Bk. i. 247 We pronounce Count Guido devilish and damnable. |
2. Of things, actions, or qualities: Characteristic of the devil; worthy of or befitting the devil; diabolical; execrable.
| c 1496 Serm. Episc. Puer. (W. de W.) B iij, Euyll fasshened garmentes, & deuyllysshe shoon & slyppers of frensmen. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 93 Whiche is moost deuyllysshe synne. 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 18 They make certayne deuylishe gestures lyke vnto madde men. 1631 Gouge God's Arrows iii. §94. 360 The matchlesse, merciless, devilish, and damnable gun-powder-treason. 1663 F. Hawkins Youth's Behav. 87 'Tis of humane frailty to erre, but 'tis devillish to persevere in it. 1790 Burns Tam O'Shanter 127 By some devilish cantrip slight. 1827 Pollok Course T. ix. 266 Indistinct and devilish whisperings. |
b. Expressing the speaker's strong detestation.
| 1694 R. L. Estrange Fables cccxxxii. (ed. 6) 345 The Develish People would keep such a Snearing and Pointing at me. 1800 E. Hervey Mourtray Fam. II. 101 Hold your devilish tongue. |
3. Of or belonging to the devil.
| 1526–34 Tindale 1 Tim. iv. 1 Geue hede vnto spretes of erroure and dyuelysshe doctrine. 1548 Hall Chron. 135 b, Therto by devilishe instigacion incensed and procured. 1562 W. Bullein Bk. Sicke Men 75 b, Ingratitude [is] sprong of a deuelishe petigree. 1864 Burton Scot Abr. I. v. 287 So skilled in devilish arts of magic. |
4. loosely. Violent, virulent, terrible; extremely bad; enormous, excessive.
| 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 241 It is a divellish, deadly, coarse medicine. 1688 R. Holme Armoury ii. 198/2 [Lice] are devilish Biters, especially the little ones. 1738 Swift Polite Convers. 187 Mr. N— got the devilishest Fall in the Park To-day. 1831 Fonblanque Eng. under 7 Administ. (1837) II. 93 The Six Acts, hurried, with such devilish speed, through Parliament. 1849 Thackeray Pendennis xl, She has a devilish deal more than ten thousand pound. |
5. Comb.
| 1705 Hickeringill Priest-Cr. Wks. 1716 III. 110 Such a Devilish-like Black-guard. |
B. adv. = devilishly 2; excessively, exceedingly, enormously: originally of things bad, but in later use a mere coarse intensive.
| 1612 Rowlands Knaue of Harts 14 Because we finde..Mony makes fooles most diuellish proud in mind. 1631 Massinger Beleeve as you list iv. iii, The cur is divelishe hungrie. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1840) I. xx. 353 Taking devilish long strides. 1768 Foote Devil on 2 Sticks i. Wks. 1799 II. 251 They are devilish rich, devilish poor, devilish ugly, devilish handsome. 1807 Byron Let. to Miss Pigot 11 Aug., I should be devilish glad to see him. 1843 Lever J. Hinton viii, Devilish pretty girl, that she is. 1886 Stevenson Dr. Jekyll ii, I have seen devilish little of the man. |