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Devil vs Fiend - What's the difference?

devil | fiend |

As nouns the difference between devil and fiend

is that devil is a creature of hell while fiend is an enemy, unfriend, or foe.

As a verb devil

is to make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.

As a proper noun Devil

is the chief devil; Satan.

devil

English

(wikipedia devil)

Noun

(en noun)
  • (theology) A creature of hell.
  • (theology) (the devil' ''or'' ' the Devil ) The chief devil; Satan.
  • The bad part of the conscience; the opposite to the angel.
  • * The devil in me wants to let him suffer.
  • A wicked or naughty person, or one who harbors reckless, spirited energy, especially in a mischievous way; usually said of a young child.
  • * Those two kids are devils in a toy store.
  • A thing that is awkward or difficult to understand or do.
  • * That math problem was a devil .
  • (euphemistically, with an article, as an intensifier) Hell.
  • * What in the devil''' is that?'' ''What the '''devil is that?
  • * She is having a devil of a time fixing it.
  • * You can go to the devil for all I care.
  • A person, especially a man; used to express a particular opinion of him, usually in the phrases poor devil' and ' lucky devil .
  • A dust devil.
  • (religion, Christian Science) An evil or erring entity.
  • (dialectal, in compounds) A barren, unproductive and unused area.Dictionary of Regional American English Word Detective: Tales from the berm
    • devil strip
  • (cookery) A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
    • Men and women busy in baking, broiling, roasting oysters, and preparing devils on the gridiron.
  • A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc.

    • Synonyms

    * (a creature of hell ): demon * (the chief devil''): Satan, Beelzebub, Mephistopheles, Old Nick, Old Scratch (''UK'' & ''US ), old-gooseberry, old gentleman * (thing awkward or difficult to understand or do''): bastard, bitch, bugger (''UK ), stinker * (wicked or naughty person ): imp, rascal, scamp, scoundrel * (as a euphemistic intensifier''): deuce (''euphemistic''), dickens (''euphemistic''), fuck (''only in senses with'' the ; ''taboo slang ), heck, hell * (a person, especially a man (as in "poor devil")''): bugger (''UK''), cow (''used of a woman''), sod (''UK )

    Antonyms

    * (a creature of hell) angel, god * (the chief devil) God * (the bad part of the conscience) angel, conscience * (thing awkward or difficult to understand) cakewalk (US ), piece of cake, simplicity itself * (sense, wicked or naughty person') angel, saint

    Derived terms

    * devil's luck * bedevil * better the devil you know * devilish, devillish * devilry, deviltry * a devil way * devil-may-care * the devil, you say! * the devil has all the best tunes * (the) devil is in the details * devil strip * * * devil dog * * * * devil's footstep * devil's lane * devil's own * * * devil's strip * (the) devil take the hindmost * * dust devil * folk devil * idle hands are the devil's workshop * the devil is in the details * give the devil his due * poor devil * speak of the devil * silver tongued devil * Tasmanian devil * what the devil * where the devil * who the devil * why the devil * how the devil

    Related terms

    * diabolo * diablo

    Verb

  • To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.
  • To annoy or bother; to bedevil.
  • To work as a ‘devil’; to work for a lawyer or writer without fee or recognition.
  • * 1978 , (Lawrence Durrell), Livia'', Faber & Faber 1992 (''Avignon Quintet ), page 401:
    • He did not repeat the scathing estimate of her character by Quatrefages, who at that time spent one afternoon a week devilling at the Consulate, keeping the petty-cash box in order.
  • To grill with cayenne pepper; to season highly in cooking, as with pepper.
  • To finely grind cooked ham or other meat with spices and condiments.
  • To prepare a sidedish of shelled halved boiled eggs to whose extracted yolks are added condiments and spices, which mixture then is placed into the halved whites to be served.
  • * She's going to devil four dozen eggs for the picnic.

    • Usage notes

    * UK usage doubles the l' in the inflected forms "devi'''ll'''ed" and "devi' ll ing"; US usage generally does not.

    Synonyms

    * (annoy or bother ): annoy, bedevil, bother, irk, irritate, pester, trouble, peeve

    Derived terms

    * deviled egg, devilled egg * deviled ham, devilled ham

    See also

    * angel * demon * enemy * Lucifer * Satan * Ravana

    References

    Anagrams

    * English intensifiers

    fiend

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) An enemy, unfriend, or foe.
  • (religious, archaic) The enemy of mankind, specifically, the Devil; Satan.
  • * 1971 , , Religion and the Decline of Magic , Folio Society 2012, p. 35:
    • At the confirmation ceremony the bishop would lay his hands on the child and tie around its forehead a linen band […]. This was believed to strengthen him against the assaults of the fiend […].
  • A devil or demon; a malignant or diabolical being; an evil spirit.
  • * 1845 , E.A. Poe, "The Raven"
    • "Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend! "
  • A very evil person
  • (informal) An addict or fanatic
    • a jazz fiend

    Derived terms

    * fienddom/fiendom * fiendful * fiendhood * fiendish * fiendkin * fiendlike * fiendling * fiendly * fiendness * fiendship * dope fiend

    Synonyms

    * monster

    Anagrams

    * * *