Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- Pertaining to the devil; partaking of the qualities of the devil; devilish; hence, infernal; Impious; atrocious; outrageously wicked: as, a diabolic plot; a diabolical temper.
- Synonyms See list under
devilish .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Pertaining to the devil; resembling, or appropriate, or appropriate to, the devil; befitting hell or satan; devilish; infernal; impious.
- adjective showing a wicked cunning or ingenuity.
- adjective extremely evil or cruel; atrocious; outrageously wicked.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Showing
wickedness typical of adevil . - adjective Extremely evil or cruel.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective showing the cunning or ingenuity or wickedness typical of a devil
- adjective extremely evil or cruel; expressive of cruelty or befitting hell
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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In her presence and before the whole household he repeated his false story, and clung to it with a bitter effrontery that we may well call diabolic, remembering how the nervous terror of punishment and exposure sinks the angel in man.
Rousseau Morley, John 1905
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These examples are but typical of myriads in cathedrals and abbeys and parish churches throughout Europe; and all served to impress upon the popular mind a horror of everything called diabolic, and a hatred of those charged with it.
A History of the warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom 1896
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In her presence and before the whole household he repeated his false story, and clung to it with a bitter effrontery that we may well call diabolic, remembering how the nervous terror of punishment and exposure sinks the angel in man.
Rousseau (Volume 1 and 2) John Morley 1880
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But to accomplish this work, which we may also call diabolic, isn't an androgynous genius necessary?
Ferragus Honor�� de Balzac 1824
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But to accomplish this work, which we may also call diabolic, isn't an androgynous genius necessary?
The Thirteen Honor�� de Balzac 1824
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In a very Screwtapian, that is to say diabolic irony, these nobler ideals are often the best disguise for our group selfishness, for we can thereby disguise our primitiveness even from ourselves.
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My spell checker suggested this should be spelled "diabolic".
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The word 'diabolic' itself derives from the Greek word diaballo meaning to "pass beyond" or "over", from the root dia - "through" and, as a causal accusative, "with the aid of".
The Watcher: The New Zealand Voice of the Left Hand Path #10 1992
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When we go to war, we have to have an evil enemy, a kind of diabolic enemy.
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That's the kind of diabolic prevarication I like to see my followers use to attack my enemies.) "No doubt some far-left pundits have said far worse things than Ann Coulter will ever say and the mainstream media often celebrates them.
The Devil's Diary: O'Reilly and liberal "bomb-throwers" 2006
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