Definition

Noun (plural, informal): "devil's books" is a colloquial term referring to playing cards.

Usage Examples

• (He lost all his money playing cards.)
• (The preacher condemned playing cards as immoral.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be in league with the devil's books": to be addicted to card playing.
  • His family feared he was in league with the devil's books, as he never missed a game. (His family worried about his card addiction.)

Variants and Related Words

• Devil's picture book (n): another informal term for playing cards.
  • He kept a devil's picture book hidden in his coat pocket. (He secretly carried playing cards.)

Synonyms

• Playing cards: a set of cards used in games.
• Cards: the standard term for a deck of playing cards.

Related Idioms

• To play with the devil's books: to gamble or engage in card games considered sinful.
  • They warned him not to play with the devil's books, but he ignored them. (They warned him not to gamble with cards.)

Notes

• This term is archaic and carries a strong moral or religious connotation, often used by those who view card playing as sinful or corrupting. It is rarely used in modern English except in historical or literary contexts.