Home UK English a devil of a —

Meaning of a devil of a — in English:

a devil of a —

phrase

informal

  • Used to emphasize great size or degree.

    • ‘photographic equipment costs a devil of a lot’
    • ‘‘It gave me a devil of a lot of trouble’, said Morris, ‘to get that thing into verse’.’
    • ‘We are sure that such things must exist, but have a devil of a time pinning them down - as detailed rules, they are not generally understood at all.’
    • ‘President Theodore Roosevelt, in a private brief interview, had confided that "affairs are in a devil of a mess."’
    • ‘Working out the ‘bugs’ in this plan is going to be a devil of a headache.’