fiend

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (3)

  1. a cruel wicked and inhuman personSynonyms: monsterdevildemonogre
  2. an evil supernatural beingSynonyms: devildemondaemondaimon
  3. a person motivated by irrational enthusiasm (as for a cause)“A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject — Winston Churchill”Synonyms: fanatic
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

fiend \fiend\ (f[=e]nd), n. [OE. fend, find, fiend, feond, fiend, foe, AS. fe['o]nd; akin to OS. f[imac]ond, D. vijand enemy, OHG. f[imac]ant, G. feind, Icel. fj[=a]nd, Sw. & Dan. fiende, Goth. fijands; orig. p. pr. of a verb meaning to hate, AS. fe['o]n, fe['o]gan, OHG. f[imac]?n, Goth. fijan, Skr. p[imac]y to scorn; prob. akin to E. feud a quarrel. [root]81. Cf. Foe, Friend.] An implacable or malicious foe; one who is diabolically wicked or cruel; an infernal being; -- applied specifically to the devil or a demon. [1913 Webster]

Into this wild abyss the wary fiend Stood on the brink of Hell and looked a while. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

O woman! woman! when to ill thy mind Is bent, all hell contains no fouler fiend. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

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