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.

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.

play the devil with

To upset or ruin.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
EstefanÍA	es-te-fah-NEE-ah	Spanish
Suhayl	-	Arabic
Izabella	ee-zah-BEL-lah (Polish)	Hungarian, Polish
Bojidar	-	Bulgarian
Brooklyn	BRUWK-lin	English (Modern)
BÉIbhinn	BAY-vin, BE-veen	Irish