I love discovering interesting expressions. Every language is full of them, and Italian is no exception. Some of these expressions have obvious meanings, some are similar in both Italian and English, and others are just downright obscure. What the Devil can that mean? I ask myself in English, or Che Diavolo vuol dire? in Italian …

Expressions based on the word Devil are pretty numerous, which is probably not surprising in a Country so closely linked to the Catholic church. Here, for your edification, is a small selection:

1. Al Diavolo! = Go to Hell!

2. Mandare qualcuno o qualcosa al Diavolo = to tell someone or something to go to Hell

3. Alla Diavola = a method of cooking chicken on the grill

4. Avere un Diavolo per capello = to be really irritable, as if you had a group of little devils on your head pulling your hair (literally: to have a Devil on each hair), non mi parlare perché c’ho un diavolo per capello stamattina! = Don’t talk to me, I’m really irritable this morning! (direct quote from Serena first thing this morning)

5. Buon Diavolo = the expression ‘Good devil’ describes someone who has a defect, or is a bit simple, but is never the less a good hearted person

6. Come il Diavolo e l’acqua santa = obviously the Devil and holy water are complete opposites, so this expression is equivalent to the English ‘like chalk and cheese’

7. Del Diavolo = ‘as Hell’ (literally: of the Devil) is used to add emphasis to a statement, e.g. ho una fame del diavolo = I’m as hungry as Hell (literally: I’ve got a Devil of a hunger), qua dentro fa un freddo del diavolo! = it’s as cold as Hell in here! (yes, a strange contradiction!)

James Marshall’s illustration ‘Il Trillo del Diavolo’ (The Devil’s Trill), 1868, which shows the composer Tartini having a dream in which the Devil  plays for him in a most diabolic way. Tartini claimed that this dream was the inspiration for his notoriously difficult violin sonata, ‘Il Trillo del Diavolo’, which you can listen to HERE

8. Fare il Diavolo a quattro = To make a lot of noise or confusion, to have a violent rage, or to make a big fuss in order to obtain something. This expression goes back to the Medieval Sacred Representations in which the Devil was one of the main characters alongside the Madonna, God, the Soul, and various Saints. These Sacred Representations were divided into “grandi diavolerie” (big devilries) and “piccole diavolerie” (little devilries), depending on whether there were more or less than 4 devils in them (go figure!).

9. Avere un Diavolo in corpo = to be very vivacious, or hyperactive, e.g. Lucia ha un diavolo in corpo oggi! = Lucia is really hyperactive today

10. Se il Diavolo non ci mette la coda! = if nothing unforeseen happens (literally: if the Devil doesn’t stick his tail in), e.g. sarà pronto per le due, se il diavolo non ci mette la coda = it will be ready by two o’clock, if nothing unforeseen happens