devil's books
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.