"speak of the devil" meaning in English

See speak of the devil in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Phrase

Audio: En-au-speak of the devil.ogg [Australia]
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. The idea behind this (namely, that mentioning a dangerous creature may cause it to appear) is found in many cultures around the world. Compare taboo avoidance (a related linguistic phenomenon). Etymology templates: {{ellipsis|en|speak of the devil and he shall appear}} Ellipsis of speak of the devil and he shall appear Head templates: {{head|en|phrase}} speak of the devil
  1. (idiomatic, humorous) An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene. Wikipedia link: speak of the devil Tags: humorous, idiomatic Synonyms: talk of the devil Related terms: are your ears burning, ears are burning, on cue Translations (expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive): adını çək, qulağını bur (Azerbaijani), otsoa aipatu, otsoa agertu (Basque), parlant del rei de Roma, entra per la porta (Catalan), no es pot dir mal que no aparegui el animal (Catalan), 說曹操,曹操到 (Chinese Mandarin), 说曹操 (Chinese Mandarin), my o vlku a vlk za dveřmi (Czech), my o vlku a vlk za humny (Czech), når man taler om solen (Danish), als je het over de duivel hebt, dan zie je zijn staart (Dutch), kus hundist juttu (Estonian), siinä paha missä mainitaan (Finnish), quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue (French), quand on parle du loup (english: by ellipsis) (French), tu fevelis dal diàul e vegnin fûr i cuars! (Friulian), ძაღლი ახსენე და ჯოხი ხელში დაიჭირეო (ʒaɣli axsene da ǯoxi xelši daič̣ireo) (Georgian), wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann kommt er (German), wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann ist er nicht weit (German), ne fesd az ördögöt a falra, mert megjelenik (Hungarian), oft kemur illur (Icelandic), oft kemur illur þá um er rætt (Icelandic), oft kemur illur þá getið er (Icelandic), oft kemur góður þá getið er og illur þá um er rætt (Icelandic), panjang umur (Indonesian), tagann gach aon rud lena iomrá ach madadh rua agus marbhán (Irish), parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna (Italian), 噂をすれば (uwasa o sureba) (alt: うわさをすれば) (Japanese), 噂をすれば影 (uwasa o sureba kage) (alt: うわさをすればかげ) (Japanese), 噂をすれば影がさす (uwasa o sureba kage ga sasu) (alt: うわさをすればかげがさす) (Japanese), 호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다 (horang'i-do je mal hamyeon onda) (Korean), lupus in fābulā (Latin), lupus in sermōne (Latin), vilką minim, vilkas čia (Lithuanian), ни́е за во́лкот, во́лкот на́ врата (níe za vólkot, vólkot ná vrata) (Macedonian), snakke om sola (Norwegian), når man snakker om sola (Norwegian), o wilku mowa (Polish), o wilku mowa, a wilk tu (Polish), falando do diabo (aparece o rabo) (Portuguese), vorbești de lup și lupul la ușă (Romanian), лёгок на поми́не (ljógok na pomíne) (Russian), про се́рого речь, а се́рый навстре́чь (pro sérovo rečʹ, a séryj navstréčʹ) (Russian), о во́лке помо́лвка, а волк и тут (o vólke pomólvka, a volk i tut) (Russian), thig an donas ri iomradh (Scottish Gaelic), ми о вуку [Cyrillic] (Serbo-Croatian), ми о вуку а вук на врата [Cyrillic] (Serbo-Croatian), mi o vuku [Roman] (Serbo-Croatian), mi o vuku a vuk na vrata [Roman] (Serbo-Croatian), ti o volku volk iz gozda (Slovenian), habla del rey de Roma, y asoma (Spanish), hablando del rey de Roma (Spanish), tala om trollen (Swedish), när man talar om trollen (Swedish), ตายยาก (Thai), iti an, çomağı hazırla (Turkish), boʻrini gapirsang qulogʻi koʻrinadi (Uzbek), sonier am ddiawl, fe ymddengys y cythraul (Welsh), מע זאָל נאָר דערמאָנען משיחן (me zol nor dermonen meshiekhn) (Yiddish), merdım yeno qısey ser (Zazaki)

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for speak of the devil meaning in English (16.0kB)

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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "speak of the devil and he shall appear"
      },
      "expansion": "Ellipsis of speak of the devil and he shall appear",
      "name": "ellipsis"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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. The idea behind this (namely, that mentioning a dangerous creature may cause it to appear) is found in many cultures around the world. Compare taboo avoidance (a related linguistic phenomenon).",
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "senses": [
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          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
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        "An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene."
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      "id": "en-speak_of_the_devil-en-phrase-aQlKkibz",
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, humorous) An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "are your ears burning"
        },
        {
          "word": "ears are burning"
        },
        {
          "word": "on cue"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "talk of the devil"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "note": "اُذْكُرْ غَائِبًا تَرَهُ (uḏkur ḡāʔiban tarahu, literally “mention an absent person, and you shall see him”)",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
        },
        {
          "code": "ajp",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "note": "ابن الحلال عند ذكره ببان (ʔibn il-ḥalāl ʕind zikro bibān, literally “the decent man appears with the mention (of his name)”)",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "tags": [
            "South-Levantine-Arabic"
          ]
        },
        {
          "code": "ajp",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "note": "ذكرنا القط، أجا ينط (zakarna l-qoṭṭ, ʔaja ynoṭṭ, literally “we mentioned the cat and he came jumping”)",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "tags": [
            "South-Levantine-Arabic"
          ]
        },
        {
          "code": "az",
          "lang": "Azerbaijani",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "adını çək, qulağını bur"
        },
        {
          "code": "eu",
          "lang": "Basque",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "otsoa aipatu, otsoa agertu"
        },
        {
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "note": "говорим за вълка, а той в кошарата (govorim za vǎlka, a toj v košarata, literally “speaking about the wolf , and he is in the sheep pen”)",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
        },
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "parlant del rei de Roma, entra per la porta"
        },
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "no es pot dir mal que no aparegui el animal"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "說曹操,曹操到"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "说曹操"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "note": "曹操到 (shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào, literally “speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives”)",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "my o vlku a vlk za dveřmi"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "my o vlku a vlk za humny"
        },
        {
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "når man taler om solen"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "als je het over de duivel hebt, dan zie je zijn staart"
        },
        {
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "kus hundist juttu"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "siinä paha missä mainitaan"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "english": "by ellipsis",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "quand on parle du loup"
        },
        {
          "code": "fur",
          "lang": "Friulian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "tu fevelis dal diàul e vegnin fûr i cuars!"
        },
        {
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "ʒaɣli axsene da ǯoxi xelši daič̣ireo",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "ძაღლი ახსენე და ჯოხი ხელში დაიჭირეო"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann kommt er"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann ist er nicht weit"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "note": "κατά φωνή κι ο γάιδαρος (katá foní ki o gáidaros, literally “by voice, here is the donkey”)",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
        },
        {
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "note": "מדברים על החמור, והחמור בא (medabrím al ha xamór, ve ha xamór ba, literally “speak of the donkey and the donkey comes”)",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "ne fesd az ördögöt a falra, mert megjelenik"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "oft kemur illur"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "oft kemur illur þá um er rætt"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "oft kemur illur þá getið er"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "oft kemur góður þá getið er og illur þá um er rætt"
        },
        {
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "panjang umur"
        },
        {
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "tagann gach aon rud lena iomrá ach madadh rua agus marbhán"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna"
        },
        {
          "alt": "うわさをすれば",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "uwasa o sureba",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "噂をすれば"
        },
        {
          "alt": "うわさをすればかげ",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "uwasa o sureba kage",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "噂をすれば影"
        },
        {
          "alt": "うわさをすればかげがさす",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "uwasa o sureba kage ga sasu",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "噂をすれば影がさす"
        },
        {
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "horang'i-do je mal hamyeon onda",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다"
        },
        {
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "lupus in fābulā"
        },
        {
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "lupus in sermōne"
        },
        {
          "code": "lt",
          "lang": "Lithuanian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "vilką minim, vilkas čia"
        },
        {
          "code": "mk",
          "lang": "Macedonian",
          "roman": "níe za vólkot, vólkot ná vrata",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "ни́е за во́лкот, во́лкот на́ врата"
        },
        {
          "code": "no",
          "lang": "Norwegian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "snakke om sola"
        },
        {
          "code": "no",
          "lang": "Norwegian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "når man snakker om sola"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "o wilku mowa"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "o wilku mowa, a wilk tu"
        },
        {
          "alt": "",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "roman": "aparece o rabo",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "falando do diabo"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "vorbești de lup și lupul la ușă"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "ljógok na pomíne",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "лёгок на поми́не"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "pro sérovo rečʹ, a séryj navstréčʹ",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "про се́рого речь, а се́рый навстре́чь"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "o vólke pomólvka, a volk i tut",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "о во́лке помо́лвка, а волк и тут"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "thig an donas ri iomradh"
        },
        {
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic"
          ],
          "word": "ми о вуку"
        },
        {
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "tags": [
            "Cyrillic"
          ],
          "word": "ми о вуку а вук на врата"
        },
        {
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "tags": [
            "Roman"
          ],
          "word": "mi o vuku"
        },
        {
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "tags": [
            "Roman"
          ],
          "word": "mi o vuku a vuk na vrata"
        },
        {
          "code": "sl",
          "lang": "Slovenian",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "ti o volku volk iz gozda"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "habla del rey de Roma, y asoma"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "hablando del rey de Roma"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "tala om trollen"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "när man talar om trollen"
        },
        {
          "code": "th",
          "lang": "Thai",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "ตายยาก"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "iti an, çomağı hazırla"
        },
        {
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "note": "про вовка промовка (pro vovka promovka, literally “speaking of the wolf”)",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
        },
        {
          "code": "uz",
          "lang": "Uzbek",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "boʻrini gapirsang qulogʻi koʻrinadi"
        },
        {
          "code": "cy",
          "lang": "Welsh",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "sonier am ddiawl, fe ymddengys y cythraul"
        },
        {
          "code": "yi",
          "lang": "Yiddish",
          "roman": "me zol nor dermonen meshiekhn",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "מע זאָל נאָר דערמאָנען משיחן"
        },
        {
          "code": "zza",
          "lang": "Zazaki",
          "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
          "word": "merdım yeno qısey ser"
        }
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "speak of the devil"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-speak of the devil.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0c/En-au-speak_of_the_devil.ogg/En-au-speak_of_the_devil.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/En-au-speak_of_the_devil.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "speak of the devil"
}
{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "speak of the devil and he shall appear"
      },
      "expansion": "Ellipsis of speak of the devil and he shall appear",
      "name": "ellipsis"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "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. The idea behind this (namely, that mentioning a dangerous creature may cause it to appear) is found in many cultures around the world. Compare taboo avoidance (a related linguistic phenomenon).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "phrase"
      },
      "expansion": "speak of the devil",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "are your ears burning"
    },
    {
      "word": "ears are burning"
    },
    {
      "word": "on cue"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English ellipses",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
        "English humorous terms",
        "English idioms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English phrases",
        "English sentences",
        "English terms with audio links",
        "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
        "Hebrew terms with redundant script codes",
        "Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations",
        "Yiddish terms with non-redundant manual transliterations"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "humorous",
          "humorous"
        ],
        [
          "current",
          "current#English"
        ],
        [
          "conversation",
          "conversation#English"
        ],
        [
          "arrive",
          "arrive#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, humorous) An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "speak of the devil"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-speak of the devil.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0c/En-au-speak_of_the_devil.ogg/En-au-speak_of_the_devil.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/En-au-speak_of_the_devil.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "talk of the devil"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "note": "اُذْكُرْ غَائِبًا تَرَهُ (uḏkur ḡāʔiban tarahu, literally “mention an absent person, and you shall see him”)",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
    },
    {
      "code": "ajp",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "note": "ابن الحلال عند ذكره ببان (ʔibn il-ḥalāl ʕind zikro bibān, literally “the decent man appears with the mention (of his name)”)",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "tags": [
        "South-Levantine-Arabic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "code": "ajp",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "note": "ذكرنا القط، أجا ينط (zakarna l-qoṭṭ, ʔaja ynoṭṭ, literally “we mentioned the cat and he came jumping”)",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "tags": [
        "South-Levantine-Arabic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "code": "az",
      "lang": "Azerbaijani",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "adını çək, qulağını bur"
    },
    {
      "code": "eu",
      "lang": "Basque",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "otsoa aipatu, otsoa agertu"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "note": "говорим за вълка, а той в кошарата (govorim za vǎlka, a toj v košarata, literally “speaking about the wolf , and he is in the sheep pen”)",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "parlant del rei de Roma, entra per la porta"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "no es pot dir mal que no aparegui el animal"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "說曹操,曹操到"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "说曹操"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "note": "曹操到 (shuō Cáo Cāo, Cáo Cāo dào, literally “speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives”)",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "my o vlku a vlk za dveřmi"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "my o vlku a vlk za humny"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "når man taler om solen"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "als je het over de duivel hebt, dan zie je zijn staart"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "kus hundist juttu"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "siinä paha missä mainitaan"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "english": "by ellipsis",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "quand on parle du loup"
    },
    {
      "code": "fur",
      "lang": "Friulian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "tu fevelis dal diàul e vegnin fûr i cuars!"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "ʒaɣli axsene da ǯoxi xelši daič̣ireo",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "ძაღლი ახსენე და ჯოხი ხელში დაიჭირეო"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann kommt er"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann ist er nicht weit"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "note": "κατά φωνή κι ο γάιδαρος (katá foní ki o gáidaros, literally “by voice, here is the donkey”)",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "note": "מדברים על החמור, והחמור בא (medabrím al ha xamór, ve ha xamór ba, literally “speak of the donkey and the donkey comes”)",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "ne fesd az ördögöt a falra, mert megjelenik"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "oft kemur illur"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "oft kemur illur þá um er rætt"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "oft kemur illur þá getið er"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "oft kemur góður þá getið er og illur þá um er rætt"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "panjang umur"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "tagann gach aon rud lena iomrá ach madadh rua agus marbhán"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna"
    },
    {
      "alt": "うわさをすれば",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "uwasa o sureba",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "噂をすれば"
    },
    {
      "alt": "うわさをすればかげ",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "uwasa o sureba kage",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "噂をすれば影"
    },
    {
      "alt": "うわさをすればかげがさす",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "uwasa o sureba kage ga sasu",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "噂をすれば影がさす"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "horang'i-do je mal hamyeon onda",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "lupus in fābulā"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "lupus in sermōne"
    },
    {
      "code": "lt",
      "lang": "Lithuanian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "vilką minim, vilkas čia"
    },
    {
      "code": "mk",
      "lang": "Macedonian",
      "roman": "níe za vólkot, vólkot ná vrata",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "ни́е за во́лкот, во́лкот на́ врата"
    },
    {
      "code": "no",
      "lang": "Norwegian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "snakke om sola"
    },
    {
      "code": "no",
      "lang": "Norwegian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "når man snakker om sola"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "o wilku mowa"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "o wilku mowa, a wilk tu"
    },
    {
      "alt": "",
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "roman": "aparece o rabo",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "falando do diabo"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "vorbești de lup și lupul la ușă"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "ljógok na pomíne",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "лёгок на поми́не"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "pro sérovo rečʹ, a séryj navstréčʹ",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "про се́рого речь, а се́рый навстре́чь"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "o vólke pomólvka, a volk i tut",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "о во́лке помо́лвка, а волк и тут"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "thig an donas ri iomradh"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic"
      ],
      "word": "ми о вуку"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "tags": [
        "Cyrillic"
      ],
      "word": "ми о вуку а вук на врата"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "tags": [
        "Roman"
      ],
      "word": "mi o vuku"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "tags": [
        "Roman"
      ],
      "word": "mi o vuku a vuk na vrata"
    },
    {
      "code": "sl",
      "lang": "Slovenian",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "ti o volku volk iz gozda"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "habla del rey de Roma, y asoma"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "hablando del rey de Roma"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "tala om trollen"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "när man talar om trollen"
    },
    {
      "code": "th",
      "lang": "Thai",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "ตายยาก"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "iti an, çomağı hazırla"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "note": "про вовка промовка (pro vovka promovka, literally “speaking of the wolf”)",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive"
    },
    {
      "code": "uz",
      "lang": "Uzbek",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "boʻrini gapirsang qulogʻi koʻrinadi"
    },
    {
      "code": "cy",
      "lang": "Welsh",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "sonier am ddiawl, fe ymddengys y cythraul"
    },
    {
      "code": "yi",
      "lang": "Yiddish",
      "roman": "me zol nor dermonen meshiekhn",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "מע זאָל נאָר דערמאָנען משיחן"
    },
    {
      "code": "zza",
      "lang": "Zazaki",
      "sense": "expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive",
      "word": "merdım yeno qısey ser"
    }
  ],
  "word": "speak of the devil"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). 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.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.