Little devil

Little devil!

Meaning

An exclamation of surprise and annoyance, directed at someone who has behaved badly or performed some kind of prank. Often applied to children.

Examples

Do you know what those little devils from next door have done now? They’ve tied the doorknob to the gatepost and I can’t get out.

Where did it originate?

Britain – 17th century.

Where is it used?

Mostly Britain, but used occasionally elsewhere too.

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About the Author

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.