Meaning & use

Old Nick

proper noun·Advanced

An informal, old-fashioned nickname for the Devil or Satan.

See it in a sentence

The villagers joked that only Old Nick himself could explain the strange lights over the moor.

In the old play, a mischievous character called Old Nick tempts the hero into trouble.

A note on using this word

Old Nick is used mainly in older or humorous writing rather than in modern everyday speech.

Words with a similar meaning

the DevilSatan

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “Old Nick”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.