evil
6 ENTRIES FOUND:
eviler;
evilest
eviler;
evilest
Britannica Dictionary definition of EVIL
[or more evil; most evil]
1
:
morally bad
-
an evil villain
-
evil spirits
-
evil deeds
2
a
:
causing harm or injury to someone
-
She drank an evil potion.
b
:
marked by bad luck or bad events
-
The city has fallen on evil days/times.
c
:
very unpleasant or offensive
-
an evil smell
-
an evil temper
d
:
showing that something bad will happen
-
It was an evil omen.
— evilly
adverb-
He grinned evilly.
— evilness
noun [noncount]
2
evil
/ˈiːvəl/
noun
plural
evils
2
evil
/ˈiːvəl/
noun
plural
evils
Britannica Dictionary definition of EVIL
1
[noncount]
:
the force of things that are morally bad
-
the battle of good versus evil
-
He believed that the world was full of evil. [=wickedness]
2
[count]
:
something that is harmful or bad
— usually plural
-
They were talking about the evils of alcohol.
-
all the evils that plague us
◊ The lesser of two evils or the lesser evil is the better choice between two unpleasant choices.
-
Since neither candidate is appealing, voters are forced to choose the lesser of two evils.
-
Which candidate would be the lesser evil?
◊ A necessary evil is a bad or unwanted thing that has to be done or accepted to achieve some good result.
-
He thinks of taxes as a necessary evil.
