limb of Satan
- noun
- Offensive
:
siervo de Satán
- He was accused of being a limb of Satan because of his malevolent deeds.
Examples
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Some critics called the villain in the play a true limb of Satan.
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Old stories often depict witches as a limb of Satan corrupting the village.
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He is a limb of Satan!
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Don't be a limb of Satan!
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The corrupt politician was referred to as a limb of Satan for his deceitful actions.
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After the scandal broke, many claimed that the CEO had become a limb of Satan in the industry.
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In the story, the antagonist was portrayed as a limb of Satan, spreading chaos and destruction.
Synonyms
106
5.1
A cruel person who causes great harm to others
5
4.4
A cruel person who hurts others or treats them very badly
Antonyms
How Evil
Surface Forms
Morphology
limb + of + Satan
The phrase is compositionally clear: 'limb' = a part/member and 'of Satan' signals association with an evil being, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer someone is an agent or part of Satan and therefore especially wicked. This metaphorical part-whole mapping is straightforward and parallels similar constructions in many languages, making the meaning accessible without prior exposure.
Etymology
Limb of Satan comes from old religious images where people pictured Satan as a powerful being with a body; someone who helped him was like a limb of Satan doing his work. So calling a person a limb of Satan means they are 'especially wicked' or part of evil.