demon


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Related to demon: Demon possession

de·mon

 (dē′mən)
n.
1. An evil supernatural being; a devil.
2. A persistently tormenting person, force, or passion: the demon of drug addiction.
3. One who is extremely zealous, skillful, or diligent: worked away like a demon; a real demon at math.
4. Variant of daimon.

[Middle English, from Late Latin daemōn, from Latin, spirit, from Greek daimōn, divine power; see dā- in Indo-European roots.]

de·mon′ic (-mŏn′ĭk) adj.
de·mon′i·cal·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

demon

(ˈdiːmən)
n
1. an evil spirit or devil
2. a person, habit, obsession, etc, thought of as evil, cruel, or persistently tormenting
3. Also called: daemon or daimon an attendant or ministering spirit; genius: the demon of inspiration.
4.
a. a person who is extremely skilful in, energetic at, or devoted to a given activity, esp a sport: a demon at cycling.
b. (as modifier): a demon cyclist.
5. a variant spelling of daemon1
6. informal archaic Austral and NZ a detective or policeman
7. (Computer Science) computing a part of a computer program, such as a help facility, that can run in the background behind the current task or application, and which will only begin to work when certain conditions are met or when it is specifically invoked
[C15: from Latin daemōn evil spirit, spirit, from Greek daimōn spirit, deity, fate; see daemon]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

de•mon

(ˈdi mən)

n.
1. an evil spirit; fiend.
2. an evil passion or influence.
3. a wicked or cruel person.
4. one with great energy: a demon for work.
5. daimon.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin daemonium < Greek daimónion, thing of divine nature (in Jewish and Christian writers, evil spirit) derivative of daímōn; (definition 6) < Latin < Greek; see daimon]

demon-

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

demon

An evil spirit that may take many different forms. In Western tradition they are sometimes referred to as infernal spirits and have been said to exist in hundreds of thousands. In other traditions they are thought to exist in billions.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.demon - an evil supernatural beingdemon - an evil supernatural being    
evil spirit - a spirit tending to cause harm
incubus - a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women
succuba, succubus - a female demon believed to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men
dibbuk, dybbuk - (Jewish folklore) a demon that enters the body of a living person and controls that body's behavior
2.demon - a cruel wicked and inhuman persondemon - a cruel wicked and inhuman person  
disagreeable person, unpleasant person - a person who is not pleasant or agreeable
demoniac - someone who acts as if possessed by a demon
3.demon - someone extremely diligent or skillful; "he worked like a demon to finish the job on time"; "she's a demon at math"
doer, actor, worker - a person who acts and gets things done; "he's a principal actor in this affair"; "when you want something done get a doer"; "he's a miracle worker"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

demon

noun
1. evil spirit, devil, fiend, goblin, ghoul, malignant spirit a woman possessed by evil demons
2. wizard, master, ace (informal), addict, fanatic, fiend He is a demon for discipline.
3. monster, beast, villain, rogue, barbarian, brute, ogre He was a dictator and a demon.
Related words
fear demonophobia
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
شَيْطان، عِفْريت، جِن
демон
démon
dæmon
demono
démon
djöfull, púki, illur andi
daemon
demonas
dēmonsļaunais garsnelabais
demondrac
démon
demondjävul
демон
quỷ

demon

[ˈdiːmən]
A. Ndemonio m
he's a demon for workes una fiera para el trabajo
B. ADJ
1. the demon drinkel demonio de la bebida
2. he's a demon squash-playeres un as del squash, jugando al squash es fabuloso
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

demon

[ˈdiːmən]
n
(RELIGION)démon m
(fig)démon m
modif
a demon squash player → un crack en squash
a demon driver → un fou du volant
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

demon

n (= evil spirit)Dämon m; (fig: = person) → Dämon(in) m(f); (inf: = child) → Teufel m; to work like a demonwie besessen arbeiten; he’s a demon playerer ist ein teuflisch guter Spieler (inf); the Demon DrinkKönig Alkohol m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

demon

[ˈdiːmən]
1. n (also) (fig) → demonio
he's a demon for work (fam) → è uno stacanovista
2. adj a demon squash playerun mago dello squash
a demon driver → un asso del volante
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

demon

(ˈdiːmən) noun
an evil spirit; a devil. demons from Hell.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
In their fear, silence fell upon them, and a postillion, in the guise of a demon, passed in front of them, blowing, in lieu of a bugle, a huge hollow horn that gave out a horrible hoarse note.
Now, some demon of discord, flying over the Saracen's Head at that moment, on casting down his eyes in mere idle curiosity, happened to behold Slurk established comfortably by the kitchen fire, and Pott slightly elevated with wine in another room; upon which the malicious demon, darting down into the last-mentioned apartment with inconceivable rapidity, passed at once into the head of Mr.
He saw the forest god or demon rise from the vanquished foe, and placing a foot upon the still quivering carcass, raise his face to the moon and bay out a hideous cry that froze the ebbing blood in the veins of the witch-doctor.
One or two there were who had glimpsed the strange figure of the new demon and it was from their oft-repeated descriptions that the entire village now recognized Tarzan as the author of many of their ills.
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted -- nevermore!
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadows on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted--nevermore!
Molly knew that the cause of her dingy rags was not her husband's neglect, but the demon Opium to whom she was enslaved, body and soul, except in the lingering mother's tenderness that refused to give him her hungry child.
He was told that his predecessors had been hindered from discovering it by the demon that guarded it, but that the demon was now at a great distance from his charge, and was grown blind and lame; that having lost his son, and being without any children except a daughter that was ugly and unhealthy, he was under great affliction, and entirely neglected the care of his treasure; that if he should come, they could call one of their ancient brothers to their assistance, who, being a man of a most holy life, would be able to prevent his making any resistance.
"We heard, from one who knew him well (what should be stated in all mention of his lamentable irregularities), that with a single glass of wine his whole nature was reversed, the demon became 'uppermost, and, though none of the usual signs of in
So he took his pen, and, some demon guiding his hand, he wrote, greatly to his astonishment:
The bestial faces, daubed with color--the huge mouths and flabby hanging lips--the yellow teeth, sharp filed--the rolling, demon eyes--the shining naked bodies--the cruel spears.
It was the sinister visage which had so long pursued her; that demon's head which had appeared at la Falourdel's, above the head of her adored Phoebus; that eye which she last had seen glittering beside a dagger.