Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To torment mercilessly; plague.
- transitive verb To worry, annoy, or frustrate.
- transitive verb To possess with or as if with a devil; bewitch.
- transitive verb To spoil; ruin.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To treat with diabolical violence or abuse.
- To possess with or as with a devil.
- To “play the devil with”; transform or confuse as if by the aid or agency of evil spirits; confound; muddle; corrupt; spoil.
- To bewilder with worry; torment; bother; confuse.
- To make a devil or devils of; bring into the condition of a devil: as, to
bedevil mankind.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb To throw into utter disorder and confusion, as if by the agency of evil spirits; to bring under diabolical influence; to torment.
- transitive verb To spoil; to corrupt.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb To harass or cause trouble for; to
plague . - verb To perplex or bewilder.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly
- verb treat cruelly
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Parker to try to "bedevil" Cape Town's Olympic bid chances with his threats, NP sport spokesman Nick Koornhof said on Wednesday.
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What we really do all have is a daily reprieve from the things that "bedevil" us.
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What we really do all have is a daily reprieve from the things that "bedevil" us.
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"bedevil" government's privatisation plans, industrial relations and human resources company NMG-Levy said on Wednesday.
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The fear: Rising prices will bedevil Indian central bankers, the way they did back in early 2008 when a global food crisis hit the rupee.
Euro, Pound Face Growing Inflation Threat Neil Shah 2011
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Gwyneth Paltrow deserves better than the clich é s that bedevil "Country Strong," which was written and directed by Shana Feste.
'Witch': Toil And Trouble Joe Morgenstern 2011
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It is a subject that knows no bounds or time limits, and the demands of the role continue to bedevil women who assume it.
Cherie Burns: Stepmotherhood Never Ends Cherie Burns 2011
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You are also entitled to bedevil your contributions to this blog with a wide variety of spelling, grammatical and other non-typo errors which betray various things about you and by which you may be judged … should you wish to. on April 2, 2010 at 12: 24 am Vetnurse
G20 police assault verdict SHOCK! « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2010
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But on the big questions that bedevil society and require careful collaboration between and across business and government, business is largely MIA.
Judith Samuelson: Help Wanted at the Top, Collaborative Skills Needed; Women May Apply Judith Samuelson 2011
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It is a subject that knows no bounds or time limits, and the demands of the role continue to bedevil women who assume it.
Cherie Burns: Stepmotherhood Never Ends Cherie Burns 2011
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