1. Home
  2. Idioms
  3. play the devil with

play the devil with

play the devil with something

Fig. to cause disruption with something; to foul something up. Your being late really played the devil with my plans for the day. This weather is really playing the devil with my arthritis.
See also: devil, play

play the devil with

Upset, ruin, make a mess of, as in This weather plays the devil with my aching joints, or Wine stains play the devil with a white tablecloth. This allusion to diabolical mischief is heard more in Britain than in America. [Mid-1500s] Also see the synonym play havoc.
See also: devil, play

play the devil with

To upset or ruin.
See also: devil, play

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Fionola-Irish, Scottish
MaksymMAHK-sim (Polish)Ukrainian, Polish
Zorion-Basque
Rochelle-English
ŻAklina-Polish
Lehua-Hawaiian
Copyright © IMWord Privacy Policy