she-devil en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree English she- Ancient Greek διαβάλλω (diabállō) Ancient Greek διάβολος (diábolos)bor. Latin diabolusbor. Proto-West Germanic *diubul Old English dēofol Middle English devel English devil English she-devil From she- + devil.
Meanings
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(literally) A female devil (as opposed to a he-devil, male devil).
In order to exorcise this she-devil, the attendants made circles on the walls with charcoal, within each was written: "Adam, Eve, Lilas, avaunt!"
1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 114:
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(figuratively) A woman whose bad temper, cruelty or wicked ways are so extreme as to evoke an image of the devil.
Monsieur Margot groaned. “Go, then, my friend,” said he, “procure the ladder! Oh, those she devils!—what could make me such a fool!”
1828, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter XVI, in Pelham; or, The Adventures of a Gentleman. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 130:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| she-devils | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
devilette (female devil) · deviless (female devil) · shrew (bad-tempered woman)
Translations (53)
el διαβολοθήλυκο (bad-tempered woman) · de Teufelin (bad-tempered woman) · mk ѓа́волка (bad-tempered woman) · ru бесо́вка (female devil) · vo jidiab (female devil) · pl jędza (bad-tempered woman) · uk дия́волка (female devil) · nl feeks (bad-tempered woman) · nl helleveeg (bad-tempered woman) · uk чорти́ця (female devil) · uk чорти́ця (bad-tempered woman) · eo diablino (female devil) · eo diablino (bad-tempered woman) · de Teufelin (female devil) · el διαβολογυναίκα (bad-tempered woman) · sv hondjävul (female devil) · got 𐌿𐌽𐌷𐌿𐌻𐌸𐍉 (female devil) · be бясо́ўка (female devil) · fr diablesse (female devil) · nl duivelin (bad-tempered woman) · be бясо́ўка (bad-tempered woman) · ru дьяволи́ца (female devil) · es demonia femenina (female devil) · ru бесо́вка (bad-tempered woman) · ca diablessa (female devil) · vo hidiab (female devil) · ru черто́вка (female devil) · be чарто́ўка (bad-tempered woman) · pl złośnica (bad-tempered woman) · ca diablessa (bad-tempered woman) · fr diablesse (bad-tempered woman) · mk ѓаво́лица (bad-tempered woman) · vo diab (female devil) · uk дияволи́ця (female devil) · ru дьяволи́ца (bad-tempered woman) · be чарто́ўка (female devil) · es diabla (female devil) · uk чорти́ха (female devil) · uk біси́ха (female devil) · de Drachen (bad-tempered woman) · uk дияволи́ця (bad-tempered woman) · pl diablica (bad-tempered woman) · uk біси́ха (bad-tempered woman) · uk дия́волка (bad-tempered woman) · de Teufelsweib (bad-tempered woman) · uk чорти́ха (bad-tempered woman) · sv djävulinna (female devil) · pl sekutnica (bad-tempered woman) · el διαβόλισσα (bad-tempered woman) · cy cythreules (female devil) · nl duivelin (female devil) · ru черто́вка (bad-tempered woman) · pl diablica (female devil)