devil in one's eyes
Language: English
Part of speech: phrase
Senses: examples: text: At times I thought of throwing myself on the mercy of Wolf Larsen, but the vision of the mocking devil in his eyes that questioned life and sneered at it would come strong upon me and compel me to refrain.
ref: 1904, Jack London, The Sea-Wolf:
text: She was so glad to see me, and laughed and talked, but when she saw the devil in my eyes she grew frightened, and cried just as you heard her cry tonight.
ref: 2011, Alice Perrin, Melissa Edmundson Makala, East of Suez, page 163:
text: A few people say being tiny and white as an angel is a good omen, but far more say I'm evil, that I was the cause of that plague, and that they see the devil in my eyes.
ref: 2013, Kathryn Erskine, Seeing Red:
text: I can see the devil in your eyes that you try to keep a tight leash on.
ref: 2019, S.C. Lark, Devil's Psycho:
text: Her mom slapped fire out of her and had the look of the devil in her eyes as she did it.
ref: 2019, Belle Love, Diary of a Disturbed Black Girl Pt IV:
glosses: A look that reflects an underlying trait that is associated with the devil
A look that reflects an underlying evil or corruption
examples: text: “Now are you going to put this ointment on my back or not?” Conrad's lip curled upward; he had the very devil in his eyes.
ref: 2014, Heather Huffman, Devil in Disguise:
text: She despised the different cabals jockeying for political influence and particularly distrusted Hamilton (" I have seen the devil in his eyes,” she said, “his wicked eyes. The very devil is in them. They are lasciviousness itself”—though these observations are probably more about his lust for Maria Reynolds and other young women than about his politics.).
ref: 2017, Larry Schweikart, The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Presidents:
text: I saw the devil in your eyes that night. The way you looked at me was not yours. They were lustful looks from the devil to push me towards you.
ref: 2023, Ümmühan Yaşar, The Secret Of The Lost Ring, page 132:
glosses: A look that reflects an underlying trait that is associated with the devil
A lascivious look
examples: text: "Dear me!" said Holmes, "he seems a quiet, meek-mannered man enough, but I dare say that there was a lurking devil in his eyes. I had pictured him as a more robust and ruffianly person."
ref: 1901, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles:
text: Now, from the devil in her eyes, he saw that she intended making things further uncomfortable for him.
ref: 1934, Robert E. Howard, The Shadow of the Vulture:
text: I just looked at her with the devil in my eyes and replied, 'No. It's mine.' I was not letting go.
ref: 2009, Jade Goody, Jade Goody: How It All Began, page xvi:
glosses: A look that reflects an underlying trait that is associated with the devil
An expression of willfulness or defiance
examples: text: I turned to leave, and Leah Beth was standing by the gate, an impish smile on her lips and the devil in her eyes.
ref: 1948, The Saturday Evening Post - Volume 221, page 68:
text: A comparative photograph of Johnny at this time in the early *40s shows a boy rascally and snaggled, some of the merry devil in his eyes.
ref: 1994 July, Barry Hannah, “Big Country”, in SPIN, volume 10, number 4, page 40:
text: Scott was centered below Sheila, with a half grin and the devil in his eyes. You had to wonder whether he was thinking about some mischief he had just perpetrated or thinking about some new mischief he could get into.
ref: 2004, Jud McLester, Thru a Pilot's Eye: Cold War Through Vietnam Era, page 222:
glosses: A look that reflects an underlying trait that is associated with the devil
A mischievous look