handsome devil
7
7.0
- noun
- /ˈhændsəm ˈdɛvəl/
- Informal
:
diablillo guapo
- "What a handsome devil!" Clemmie said when Claude appeared in a dark suit.
Examples
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- Who is that handsome devil?
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And who is that handsome devil next to you?
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- What can I get you, handsome devil?
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Well, look at this handsome devil.
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You really are a handsome devil.
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Look at this handsome devil.
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Look at that handsome devil.
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It's not proper to leave a lady alone with such a handsome devil.
Fiction book (1991) -
You're a handsome devil.
-
And who is that handsome devil next to you?
Synonyms
3
7.0
A man who is very charming and attracts many women
Antonyms
How Attractive
- Informal
16
5.4
- Informal
50
5.8
- Informal
7
7.0
627
1.0
278
1.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
The adjective 'handsome' transparently contributes the sense 'attractive', and 'devil' is often used figuratively to mean a roguish or naughty person, so a learner can plausibly infer 'an attractive, cheeky man' from the parts. However, the playful/teasing idiomatic nuance and the non-literal use of 'devil' require some cultural or usage knowledge and are not fully predictable from the constituents alone.
Etymology
Handsome devil joins handsome, meaning good-looking, and devil, a playful old word for a naughty or charming rogue. People used to call a man a 'devil' when he was a little cheeky or hard to trust, so handsome devil became a teasing way to say someone is attractive but a bit mischievous.