to devil
- verb
- /ˈdɛvəl/
- Jargon
- He had to devil for the senior partner at the law firm.
Examples
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She devils for a well-known editor to gain experience in the publishing industry.
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Many young lawyers have devilled before starting their own practice.
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During his apprenticeship, he devilled for a senior barrister on several important cases.
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I often devil for my boss when she is busy.
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As a legal intern, my main responsibility was to devil my supervisor by organizing files and preparing documents.
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During my time at the publishing house, I had to devil for the editor by updating the manuscript and checking for typos.
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In his role at the law firm, he was expected to devil for the senior partner by managing client correspondence and scheduling meetings.
Antonyms
Idioms
- Informal
To take a serious risk by doing something morally wrong to gain power or money
You must choose between two options that are both bad
Compounds
- Informal
A man who is attractive and playfully charming and sometimes hard to trust
- Australian
A small fierce animal from Tasmania that carries its young in a pouch and eats meat
- Slur
A rude name used in East Asia for someone from another country, often a Western person, showing fear or hate
- UK
A strong plant that spreads quickly and is used for lawns and pastures in warm places
- UK
A plant that lives many years with large reddish orange flowers with black spots and petals that curve back
- Indian
A tall tropical tree from eastern Asia and the Philippines with glossy leaves and small white flowers
- Australian
A bushy Australian shrub with clusters of bright red flowers that attract birds
How Menial
Surface Forms
Etymology
Devil was also used for a helper who did the boring or messy work for a more senior person, so to devil means to do routine or junior tasks for someone higher up. That's why people say a young lawyer or assistant 'devils' for a senior professional.