devil's delight
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A riot; a row.
Register: dated, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
They are tied by the head, so that they are unable to lie down; but, their legs being free, they kick up a devil's delight during the storm, and sharpen the sensations of their sea-sick neighbors. They snort, and neigh, and groan with terror, […]
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
a noise or row of any description. Generally used thus:—"They kicked up the DEVIL’S DELIGHT."
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “devil's delight” mean?
A riot; a row.
Is “devil's delight” formal or informal?
devil's delight is generally dated, slang.