word-vault
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A lightweight JavaScript package for English word definitions and collections.
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{
"term": "devil",
"partOfSpeech": "noun",
"ox5000": true,
"cefr": "c1",
"definitions": [
{
"senseNumber": 1,
"definition": "the most powerful evil being",
"cefr": "c1",
"examples": [
{
"text": "belief in the Devil"
}
],
"synonyms": "Satan",
"collocations": {
"verb + devil": ["believe in", "worship", "be possessed by"],
"devil + noun": ["worship", "worshipper"],
"phrases": ["the devil incarnate"]
}
},
{
"senseNumber": 2,
"definition": "an evil spirit",
"cefr": "c1",
"examples": [
{
"text": "They believed she was possessed by devils."
},
{
"text": "He behaved like someone possessed by devils."
}
],
"collocations": {
"verb + devil": ["believe in", "worship", "be possessed by"],
"devil + noun": ["worship", "worshipper"],
"phrases": ["the devil incarnate"]
}
},
{
"senseNumber": 3,
"definition": "a person who behaves badly, especially a child",
"labels": "(informal)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "a naughty little devil"
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 4,
"definition": "used to talk about somebody and to emphasize an opinion that you have of them",
"labels": "(old-fashioned, informal)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "I miss the old devil, now that he's gone."
},
{
"text": "She's off to Greece for a month—lucky devil!"
},
{
"text": "James was a handsome devil and rich, too."
},
{
"text": "They were handsome young devils in their uniforms, weren't they?"
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "people say Be a devil! to encourage somebody to do something that they are not sure about doing",
"labels": "(British English)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "Go on, be a devil, buy both of them."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "used to say that it is easier and wiser to stay in a bad situation that you know and can deal with rather than change to a new situation that may be much worse",
"labels": "(saying)",
"examples": []
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "in a difficult situation where there are two equally unpleasant or unacceptable choices",
"examples": [],
"topics": ["Preferences and decisions"]
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "very difficult or unpleasant",
"labels": "(old-fashioned)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "These berries are the devil to pick because they're so small."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "bad people often seem to have good luck",
"labels": "(saying)",
"examples": []
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "people who do not have enough to do often start to do wrong",
"labels": "(saying)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "She blamed the crimes on the local jobless teenagers. ‘The devil makes work for idle hands,’ she would say."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "a very difficult or unpleasant job or time",
"labels": "(old-fashioned)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "I've had a devil of a job finding you."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "a lot of trouble",
"labels": "(informal)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "There'll be hell to pay when he finds out."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "used, in an unfriendly way, to tell somebody to go away",
"labels": "(old-fashioned, informal)",
"examples": []
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "very hard, fast, etc.",
"labels": "(old-fashioned, informal)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "We ran like the devil."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "to do anything, even something really bad or dishonest, in return for money, success or power",
"examples": [],
"topics": ["Success"]
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "people say speak/talk of the devil when somebody they have been talking about appears unexpectedly",
"labels": "(informal)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "Well, speak of the devil—here's Alice now!"
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": null,
"definition": "used in questions to show that you are annoyed or surprised",
"labels": "(old-fashioned)",
"examples": [
{
"text": "What the devil do you think you're doing?"
}
]
}
],
"pronunciations": {
"uk": [
{
"pronunciation": "/ˈdevl/",
"audio": "de/devil/devil__gb_1.mp3"
}
],
"us": [
{
"pronunciation": "/ˈdevl/",
"audio": "de/devil/devil__us_1.mp3"
}
]
},
"wordOrigin": "Old English dēofol (related to Dutch duivel and German Teufel), via late Latin from Greek diabolos ‘accuser, slanderer’ (used in the Septuagint to translate Hebrew śāṭān ‘Satan’), from diaballein ‘to slander’, from dia ‘across’ + ballein ‘to throw’."
}