evil

evil

I

e‧vil¹ S3 W3 /ˈiːvəl/ adjective1.  BAD someone who is evil deliberately does very cruel things to harm other people:
    an evil dictator responsible for the deaths of millions
    his evil deeds
2.  WRONG something that is evil is morally wrong because it harms people
   SYN  wicked:
    They condemned slavery as evil.
3.  UNPLEASANT very unpleasant:
    an evil smell
    a puddle of evil black liquid
4.  DEVIL connected with the Devil and having special powers to harm people:
    evil spirits
    an evil spell
5. the evil eye the power, which some people believe exists, to harm people by looking at them:
    He claimed to have the power of the evil eye.
6. the evil hour/day etc a time when you expect something unpleasant or difficult to happen:
    Don’t delay, you’re only putting off the evil hour.
—evilly adverb:
    Jeff grinned evilly as he picked up the phone.

II

evil² noun
1. [countable] something that is very bad or harmful:
    She wanted to protect her children from the evils of the outside world.
    Poverty is one of the greatest social evils of our time.
    the evils of capitalism
2. [uncountable] cruel or morally bad behaviour in general
   OPP  good:
    There is too much evil in the world.
    the eternal struggle between good and evil
⇨ the lesser of two evils at lesser(2), ⇨ necessary evil at necessary¹(3)
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 1)

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + evil
   ▪ a great/greater evil He saw fascism as the greatest evil of his times.
   ▪ a lesser evil (=a bad thing, but not as bad as something else) She knew that she couldn't leave the children, so she opted for the lesser evil and stayed.
   ▪ a necessary evil (=something that is bad but necessary) Most businesses see government regulation as a necessary evil.
   ▪ a social evil (=something bad that happens in human society) The community is being torn apart by poverty, drug abuse and other social evils.
   ▪ a moral evil (=a bad thing in relation to principles of what is right and wrong) Mental or physical torture is a moral evil, and it can never be justified.
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 2)

■ verbs
   ▪ fight/combat evil Joan swore to fight evil in all its forms.
■ phrases
   ▪ good and evil You have to teach your kids about right and wrong, good and evil.
   ▪ the forces of evil literary (=the people or things that increase the amount of evil in the world) The king knew he must fight the forces of evil or his homeland would perish.
   ▪ something is the root of all evil (=something is the main cause of bad things) Love of money is the root of all evil.