Dickens
/ˈdɪk.ənz/noun
A mild exclamation used to express surprise, annoyance, or emphasis, as in “What the dickens?”
Did you know?Most scholars treat *the dickens* as a euphemistic substitute for *the deuce* or *the devil*, showing how English speakers once used playful code-words to dodge naming evil directly.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
the dickens
“A euphemistic exclamation or substitute for something troublesome or forbidden”
16th Century
English
the deuce
“A mild oath referring to the devil or an irritating force”
Middle English
English
devel / devil
“The Devil; an evil spirit”
Old English
English
deofol
“Devil, demon”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*diubilaz
“Devil, evil spirit”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰewbʰ-
“To smoke, obscure, or deceive”