Devilment

Pronunciation: /ˈdɛvəlmənt/

Definitions of devilment

noun a mischievous act or trick

Example Sentences

A1 The children were up to some devilment in the playground.

A2 She always gets into devilment with her mischievous pranks.

B1 The boys were caught causing devilment in the neighborhood.

B2 His devilment often got him into trouble with the school authorities.

C1 The politician's devilment was exposed by the media, causing a scandal.

C2 The CEO's devilment in manipulating company funds led to his downfall.

Examples of devilment in a Sentence

formal The children were warned against engaging in any devilment during the school trip.

informal I can't believe the devilment those kids got up to at the party last night.

slang She's always up to some kind of devilment, that one.

figurative The devilment in his eyes hinted at mischief to come.

Grammatical Forms of devilment

• past tense: devilmented
• plural: devilments
• comparative: more devilish
• superlative: most devilish
• present tense: devils
• future tense: will devil
• perfect tense: have devilled
• continuous tense: are devilling
• singular: devilment
• positive degree: devilish
• infinitive: to devil
• gerund: devilling
• participle: devilled

Origin and Evolution of devilment

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Middle English

Story behind the word: The word 'devilment' originated from Middle English, influenced by the Old French word 'develine' meaning 'wickedness'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'devilment' has retained its original meaning of mischievous or wicked behavior, but has also come to be used more broadly to describe playful or teasing behavior.