speak of the devil
English
Alternative forms
- talk of the devil
Etymology
Ellipsis of speak of the devil and he shall appear, which can be traced back to “talk of the Devil, and he’s presently at your elbow”, attested in 1666.
Pronunciation
Audio (AU) (file)
Phrase
speak of the devil
- (idiomatic, humorous) An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.
Translations
expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
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See also
- are your ears burning
- ears are burning
- on cue