Speak of the Devil!

Speak of the Devil! Speak of the Devil! Speak of the Devil! By Maeve Maddox One of my favorite sayings is God is in the details. It makes me think of patient medieval manuscript illuminators who might spend days on the meticulous execution of one initial letter. Their work was a form of prayer. Every detail deserved the utmost attention because the work was being offered to the glory of God. Nowadays the expression has morphed into the Devil is in the details The necessity of paying close attention to details is still the focus of the saying, but now the admonition warns against ignoring details for fear of law suits or time delays. A FEW OTHER DEVIL EXPRESSIONS between the devil and the deep blue sea trapped in a difficult situation with no easy way out. (between a rock and a hard place) therell be the devil to pay there will be severe consequences devilled eggs hard-cooked eggs in which the yolks have been flavored with hot spices; devilled grilled with hot condiments (also spelled deviled) devils food cake a rich moist, airy layer cake made with cocoa. Probably named to contrast it with angel food cake, which is white and fluffy. devil-may-care attitude a wildly reckless attitude that laughs at caution a devil of a question a question that has no easy answer, or, perhaps, a question considered impertinent by the person being asked it. dust devil sand spout or dust storm printers devil a printers apprentice devilry, deviltry, devilment all words referring to devilish behavior, either in the sense of wicked behavior or of roguery. speak of the devil nowadays this expression is used when one has been speaking of a person just before the person arrives. Or perhaps one has been speaking of rain just before a downpour. Full-length versions of the proverb: Speak of the devil and he will appear; Speak of the devil and hell be at your elbow. The expression originated with the belief that one should not mention the devils name for fear of attracting his attention. Devils advocate from Latin. advocatus diaboli, one whose job it is to urge against the canonization of a candidate for sainthood. little devil little rascal; playful use for clever rogue devilish behavior wicked behavior OTHER NAMES FOR THE DEVIL Old Nick Old Scratch Lucifer Beelzebub The Tempter The Lord of Darkness The Deceiver The Lord of the Flies Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Examples of Passive Voice (And How To Fix Them)8 Types of Parenthetical Phrases50 Musical Terms Used in Nonmusical Senses