"devil is in the details" meaning in English

See devil is in the details in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Proverb

Audio: en-au-devil is in the details.ogg [Australia]
Etymology: In allusion to God is in the detail. Etymology templates: {{m|en|God is in the detail}} God is in the detail Head templates: {{head|en|proverb|head=(the) devil is in the details}} (the) devil is in the details
  1. (idiomatic) The specific provisions of, or particular steps for implementing, a general plan, policy, or contract may be complicated, controversial, or unworkable. Wikipedia link: the devil is in the details Tags: idiomatic Translations (specific provisions of something may be complicated): 關鍵在細節,細節決定成敗 (Chinese Mandarin), 关键在细节 (Chinese Mandarin), 细节决定成败 (guānjiàn zài xìjié, xìjié juédìng chéngbài) (Chinese Mandarin), de duivel zit in de details (Dutch), piru asuu yksityiskohdissa (Finnish), le diable se cache dans les détails (French), der Teufel steckt im Detail (German), ο διάβολος κρύβεται στις λεπτομέρειες (o diávolos krývetai stis leptoméreies) (Greek), az ördög a részletekben rejlik (Hungarian), il diavolo è nei dettagli (Italian), il diavolo si nasconde nei dettagli (Italian), 悪魔は細部に宿る (Japanese), diabeł tkwi w szczegółach (Polish), o diabo mora nos detalhes (Portuguese), teoria ca teoria, dar practica ne omoară (Romanian), socoteala de acasă nu se potrivește cu cea din târg (Romanian), dracu-i în amănunte ascuns. (Romanian), гла́дко бы́ло на бума́ге, да забы́ли про овра́ги (gládko býlo na bumáge, da zabýli pro ovrági) (english: rhyme: it was smooth on paper, but the ravines were forgotten) (Russian), el diablo está en los detalles (Spanish), djävulen sitter i detaljerna (Swedish), şeytan ayrıntıda gizlidir (Turkish)
    Sense id: en-devil_is_in_the_details-en-proverb-dCgKcXiq Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English proverbs, Japanese terms with redundant script codes

Download JSON data for devil is in the details meaning in English (6.2kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "God is in the detail"
      },
      "expansion": "God is in the detail",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "In allusion to God is in the detail.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "proverb",
        "head": "(the) devil is in the details"
      },
      "expansion": "(the) devil is in the details",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
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          "source": "w"
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          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English proverbs",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Japanese terms with redundant script codes",
          "parents": [
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            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1965, Newsweek, volume 65, page 173",
          "text": "Krupp already has an agreement in principle for the deal, but precise details are still being worked out by Polish officials and a Krupp bargaining team (\"The devil is in the details,\" Beitz says).",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1998 December 16, Alain L. Sanders, “Israel: Let the People Speak”, in Time, archived from the original on 2009-04-08",
          "text": "The country has developed a strong consensus for peace, but the devil is in the details over what concessions should be made.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 May 16, Cecilia Kang, quoting Sarah Myers West, “OpenAI’s Sam Altman Urges A.I. Regulation in Senate Hearing”, in The New York Times, →ISSN",
          "text": "“The devil will be in the details,” said Sarah Myers West, managing director of AI Now Institute, a policy research center.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The specific provisions of, or particular steps for implementing, a general plan, policy, or contract may be complicated, controversial, or unworkable."
      ],
      "id": "en-devil_is_in_the_details-en-proverb-dCgKcXiq",
      "links": [
        [
          "specific",
          "specific"
        ],
        [
          "provision",
          "provision"
        ],
        [
          "particular",
          "particular"
        ],
        [
          "step",
          "step"
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        [
          "implement",
          "implement"
        ],
        [
          "general",
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        [
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        [
          "policy",
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        [
          "contract",
          "contract"
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        [
          "complicated",
          "complicated"
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          "controversial"
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) The specific provisions of, or particular steps for implementing, a general plan, policy, or contract may be complicated, controversial, or unworkable."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "關鍵在細節,細節決定成敗"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "关键在细节"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "guānjiàn zài xìjié, xìjié juédìng chéngbài",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "细节决定成败"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "de duivel zit in de details"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "piru asuu yksityiskohdissa"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "le diable se cache dans les détails"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "der Teufel steckt im Detail"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "o diávolos krývetai stis leptoméreies",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "ο διάβολος κρύβεται στις λεπτομέρειες"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "az ördög a részletekben rejlik"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "il diavolo è nei dettagli"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "il diavolo si nasconde nei dettagli"
        },
        {
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "悪魔は細部に宿る"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "diabeł tkwi w szczegółach"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "o diabo mora nos detalhes"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "teoria ca teoria, dar practica ne omoară"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "socoteala de acasă nu se potrivește cu cea din târg"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "dracu-i în amănunte ascuns."
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "english": "rhyme: it was smooth on paper, but the ravines were forgotten",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "gládko býlo na bumáge, da zabýli pro ovrági",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "гла́дко бы́ло на бума́ге, да забы́ли про овра́ги"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "el diablo está en los detalles"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "djävulen sitter i detaljerna"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
          "word": "şeytan ayrıntıda gizlidir"
        }
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "the devil is in the details"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "en-au-devil is in the details.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d6/En-au-devil_is_in_the_details.ogg/En-au-devil_is_in_the_details.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/En-au-devil_is_in_the_details.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "devil is in the details"
}
{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "God is in the detail"
      },
      "expansion": "God is in the detail",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "In allusion to God is in the detail.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "proverb",
        "head": "(the) devil is in the details"
      },
      "expansion": "(the) devil is in the details",
      "name": "head"
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  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English idioms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English proverbs",
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        "Japanese terms with redundant script codes"
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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1965, Newsweek, volume 65, page 173",
          "text": "Krupp already has an agreement in principle for the deal, but precise details are still being worked out by Polish officials and a Krupp bargaining team (\"The devil is in the details,\" Beitz says).",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1998 December 16, Alain L. Sanders, “Israel: Let the People Speak”, in Time, archived from the original on 2009-04-08",
          "text": "The country has developed a strong consensus for peace, but the devil is in the details over what concessions should be made.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 May 16, Cecilia Kang, quoting Sarah Myers West, “OpenAI’s Sam Altman Urges A.I. Regulation in Senate Hearing”, in The New York Times, →ISSN",
          "text": "“The devil will be in the details,” said Sarah Myers West, managing director of AI Now Institute, a policy research center.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The specific provisions of, or particular steps for implementing, a general plan, policy, or contract may be complicated, controversial, or unworkable."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "specific",
          "specific"
        ],
        [
          "provision",
          "provision"
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        [
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        ]
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) The specific provisions of, or particular steps for implementing, a general plan, policy, or contract may be complicated, controversial, or unworkable."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "the devil is in the details"
      ]
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  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "en-au-devil is in the details.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d6/En-au-devil_is_in_the_details.ogg/En-au-devil_is_in_the_details.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/En-au-devil_is_in_the_details.ogg",
      "tags": [
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    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "關鍵在細節,細節決定成敗"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "关键在细节"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "guānjiàn zài xìjié, xìjié juédìng chéngbài",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "细节决定成败"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "de duivel zit in de details"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "piru asuu yksityiskohdissa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "le diable se cache dans les détails"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "der Teufel steckt im Detail"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "o diávolos krývetai stis leptoméreies",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "ο διάβολος κρύβεται στις λεπτομέρειες"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "az ördög a részletekben rejlik"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "il diavolo è nei dettagli"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "il diavolo si nasconde nei dettagli"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "悪魔は細部に宿る"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "diabeł tkwi w szczegółach"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "o diabo mora nos detalhes"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "teoria ca teoria, dar practica ne omoară"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "socoteala de acasă nu se potrivește cu cea din târg"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "dracu-i în amănunte ascuns."
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "english": "rhyme: it was smooth on paper, but the ravines were forgotten",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "gládko býlo na bumáge, da zabýli pro ovrági",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "гла́дко бы́ло на бума́ге, да забы́ли про овра́ги"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "el diablo está en los detalles"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "djävulen sitter i detaljerna"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "specific provisions of something may be complicated",
      "word": "şeytan ayrıntıda gizlidir"
    }
  ],
  "word": "devil is in the details"
}
{
  "called_from": "form_descriptions/1698",
  "msg": "unrecognized head form: the",
  "path": [
    "devil is in the details"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "proverb",
  "title": "devil is in the details",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-09 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (4d5d0bb and edd475d). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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