to devil
1
9.6
- verb
- /ˈdɛvəl/
- Jargon
- He had to devil for the senior partner at the law firm.
Examples
-
She devils for a well-known editor to gain experience in the publishing industry.
-
Many young lawyers have devilled before starting their own practice.
-
During his apprenticeship, he devilled for a senior barrister on several important cases.
-
I often devil for my boss when she is busy.
-
As a legal intern, my main responsibility was to devil my supervisor by organizing files and preparing documents.
-
During my time at the publishing house, I had to devil for the editor by updating the manuscript and checking for typos.
-
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
4
9.6
To take a serious risk by doing something morally wrong to gain power or money
1
9.0
You must choose between two options that are both bad
Compounds
- Informal
9
7.0
A man who is attractive and playfully charming and sometimes hard to trust
- Australian
5
6.2
A small fierce animal from Tasmania that carries its young in a pouch and eats meat
- Slur
1
9.9
A rude name used in East Asia for someone from another country, often a Western person, showing fear or hate
- UK
1
8.0
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.