evil

evil
1 adjective
1 someone who is evil deliberately does very cruel things to harm other people: an evil dictator responsible for the deaths of millions | An evil glint came into her eye when she picked up the knife.
2 very unpleasant: There's an evil smell coming from the drains.
3 connected with the Devil or having special powers to harm people: evil spirits
4 having a very harmful influence on people: the evil effects of materialism
5 the evil eye the power, which some people believe exists, to harm people by looking at them: traditional symbols to ward off the evil eye
6 the evil hour/day etc a time when you expect something unpleasant or difficult to happen: the evil hour when he would have to face his uncle's anger
— evilly adverb 2 noun
1 (C) a very harmful or unpleasant influence or effect: the evils of capitalism
2 (U) a powerful force that makes people behave in a cruel way, or wicked behaviour in general: the eternal struggle between good and evil
—see also: the lesser of two evils lesser (2), necessary evil necessary 1 (3)

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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  • Evil — • In a large sense, described as the sum of the opposition, which experience shows to exist in the universe, to the desires and needs of individuals; whence arises, among humans beings at least, the sufferings in which life abounds Catholic… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Evil — E*vil ([=e] v l) a. [OE. evel, evil, ifel, uvel, AS. yfel; akin to OFries, evel, D. euvel, OS. & OHG. ubil, G. [ u]bel, Goth. ubils, and perh. to E. over.] 1. Having qualities tending to injury and mischief; having a nature or properties which… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • evil — adj *bad, ill, wicked, naughty Analogous words: *base, low, vile: iniquitous, nefarious, flagitious, *vicious, villainous, infamous: *pernicious, baneful: *execrable, damnable Antonyms: exemplary: salutary …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • evil — ► ADJECTIVE 1) deeply immoral and malevolent. 2) embodying or associated with the devil. 3) extremely unpleasant: an evil smell. ► NOUN 1) extreme wickedness and depravity, especially when regarded as a supernatural force. 2) something harmful or …   English terms dictionary

  • evil — [ē′vəl] adj. [ME ivel < OE yfel, akin to Ger übel < IE * upelo < base * upo , up from under > UP1, Sans upa, toward] 1. a) morally bad or wrong; wicked; depraved b) resulting from or based on conduct regarded as immoral [an evil… …   English World dictionary

  • Evil — E vil ([=e] v l) n. 1. Anything which impairs the happiness of a being or deprives a being of any good; anything which causes suffering of any kind to sentient beings; injury; mischief; harm; opposed to {good}. [1913 Webster] Evils which our own… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Evil — (englisch, als Adjektiv: ‚böse‘, ‚schlecht‘, als Substantiv: ‚das Böse‘) steht für: Evil (Roman), den 1989 veröffentlichten Roman des Autors Jack Ketchum Evil (2003), einen schwedischen Spielfilm Evil (2005), einen griechischen Horrorfilm eine EP …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Evil — E vil, adv. In an evil manner; not well; ill; badly; unhappily; injuriously; unkindly. Shak. [1913 Webster] It went evil with his house. 1 Chron. vii. 23. [1913 Webster] The Egyptians evil entreated us, and affected us. Deut. xxvi. 6. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • evil — (adj.) O.E. yfel (Kentish evel) bad, vicious, ill, wicked, from P.Gmc. *ubilaz (Cf. O.Saxon ubil, O.Fris., M.Du. evel, Du. euvel, O.H.G. ubil, Ger. übel, Goth. ubils), from PIE *upelo , from root *wap (Cf. Hittite huwapp …   Etymology dictionary

  • Evil — (англ. зло, бедствие, несчастье): EVIL камера  англоязычная аббревиатура беззеркального системного компактного цифрового фотоаппарата с возможностью смены объектива Музыка Evil  песня нью йоркской инди рок группы Interpol См. также …   Википедия

  • evil — evil; evil·ly; evil·ness; …   English syllables

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