devil's cure

• Format: Manuscript
• Language: English
• Subjects: English language > Dialects > Newfoundland and Labrador; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/elrcdne/id/20489

devil n This word may be used to mean two things. _One_, when a person who one doesn't like or is not on friendly with, has a stroke of hard luck, one may say, "the divil's cure to im." For example, if the person whom you don't like is standing by a river and accidentally falls in, you would say, "the divil's cure to him. In this context, it is a curse, [reverse] and means "go to hell" or "go to the devil." It is said in a sneering or scornful tone. _Two_, It may also be used when a person is warned not to do something because it may hurt or injure him in some way and then does it despite the warning and brings some back luck to himself, the person who warned him may say, "the divil's cure to ya." In this context it means, "I told you so - now you can suffer the consequences." Here we may take a simple example of a person who is told not to go out on a rainy day because he may catch cold. He goes out, catches cold and becomes ill. The person who told him may say, "the divil's cure to ya." It is said in a very unsympathetic tone. The response of the unlucky victim is usually one of silence, or a confirmation that the other person was right. Practically every person in the community uses this term, regardless of age. DNE-cit Dict. Cent JH Used I and Sup Used I Used I play with the devil, PLAY, devil-ma-click, devil-ma-jig,~angel, ~birthday, ~blanket, ~feathers,~ cap, DEAD-MAN'S CAP, FAIRY, ~claw, ~fashion, FASHION,~ laughter, ~ match,~ pelt,~ pipe,~ racket, RACKET, devilskin,~ spit, SPIT, ~ thumb-print, ~ umbrella This entry also appears in the Dictionary under the term 'ramlatch' "Newfoundland Folklore Survey" card; Checked by Cathy Wiseman on Sat 24 Jan 2015; Reverse of card at D_16852