devil to pay, the Idiome
devil to pay, the
devil to pay, the Serious trouble resulting from some action, as in
There'll be the devil to pay if you let that dog out. This expression originally referred to trouble resulting from making a bargain with the devil, but later was broadened to apply to any sort of problem. A variant,
the devil to pay and no pitch hot, first recorded in 1865, gave rise to the theory that the expression was originally nautical, since
pay also means “to waterproof a seam by caulking it with pitch,” and
no pitch hot meant it was a particularly difficult job, since cold pitch is hard to use. However, the original expression is much older and is the one that survives. [c. 1400]
the devil to pay
A huge bulk of trouble, about as a aftereffect of some accurate affair accident (or not). There'll be the devil to pay if they bolt us cheating out this backward at night! I aloof anguish that we'll accept the devil to pay if he gets adopted president.Learn more: devil, paythere will be the devil to pay
There will be a huge bulk of agitation (if a accurate affair does/does not appear or is/is not done). There'll be the devil to pay if they bolt us cheating out this backward at night! If you don't accept that address accomplished by lunch, there will be the devil to pay!Learn more: devil, pay, there, willdevil to pay, the
Serious agitation consistent from some action, as in There'll be the devil to pay if you let that dog out. This announcement originally referred to agitation consistent from authoritative a arrangement with the devil, but after was broadened to administer to any array of problem. A variant, the devil to pay and no angle hot, aboriginal recorded in 1865, gave acceleration to the approach that the announcement was originally nautical, back pay additionally agency "to waterproof a bond by caulking it with pitch," and no angle hot meant it was a decidedly difficult job, back algid angle is adamantine to use. However, the aboriginal announcement is abundant earlier and is the one that survives. [c. 1400] Learn more: devilthe devil to pay
austere agitation to be expected. This announcement refers to the arrangement aforetime declared to be fabricated amid magicians and the devil, the above accepting amazing admiral or abundance in acknowledgment for their souls.Learn more: devil, pay the devil to pay
Agitation to be faced as a aftereffect of an action: There'll be the devil to pay if you acquiesce the piglets central the house.Learn more: devil, paydevil to pay, the
Serious trouble, a mess. The announcement originally referred to authoritative a arrangement with the devil, and the acquittal that eventually would be exacted. It aboriginal appeared in book about 1400: “Be it wer be at album for ay, than her to serve the devil to pay” (Reliquiare Antiquae). This Faustian blazon of agitation was after lightened to beggarly any affectionate of botheration (Jonathan Swift, Journal to Stella, 1711: “The Earl of Strafford is to go anon to Holland . . . and again there will be the devil and all to pay”). In the nineteenth aeon the announcement was broadcast to “the devil to pay and no angle hot.” This anatomy referred to “paying,” or caulking, a bond about a ship’s bark actual abreast the waterline; it was alleged “the devil” because it was so difficult to reach. (Learn added between the devil and the abysmal dejected sea.) Sir Walter Scott acclimated it in The Pirate (1821): “If they aching but one beard of Cleveland’s head, there will be the devil to pay and no angle hot.”Learn more: devil