Tas·ma·nian devil /(ˌ)tæzˈmeniən, njən-/



 Na·tive a.
 1. Arising by birth; having an origin; born. [Obs.]
    Anaximander's opinion is, that the gods are native, rising and vanishing again in long periods of times.   --Cudworth.
 2. Of or pertaining to one's birth; natal; belonging to the place or the circumstances in which one is born; -- opposed to foreign; as, native land, language, color, etc.
 3. Born in the region in which one lives; as, a native inhabitant, race; grown or originating in the region where used or sold; not foreign or imported; as, native oysters, or strawberries.  In the latter sense, synonymous with domestic.
 4. Original; constituting the original substance of anything; as, native dust.
 5. Conferred by birth; derived from origin; born with one; inherent; inborn; not acquired; as, native genius, cheerfulness, wit, simplicity, rights, intelligence, etc.  Having the same meaning as congenital, but typically used for positive qualities, whereas congenital may be used for negative qualities.  See also congenital
    Courage is native to you.   --Jowett (Thucyd.).
 6. Naturally related; cognate; connected (with). [R.]
 the head is not more native to the heart, . . .
 Than is the throne of Denmark to thy father.   --Shak.
 7. Min. (a) Found in nature uncombined with other elements; as, native silver, copper, gold. (b) Found in nature; not artificial; as native sodium chloride.
 Native American party. See under American, a.
 Native bear Zool., the koala.
 Native bread Bot., a large underground fungus, of Australia (Mylitta australis), somewhat resembling a truffle, but much larger.
 Native devil. Zool. Same as Tasmanian devil, under Devil.
 Native hen Zool., an Australian rail (Tribonyx Mortierii).
 Native pheasant. Zool. See Leipoa.
 Native rabbit Zool., an Australian marsupial (Perameles lagotis) resembling a rabbit in size and form.
 Native sloth Zool., the koala.
 Native thrush Zool., an Australian singing bird (Pachycephala olivacea); -- called also thickhead.
 Native turkey Zool., the Australian bustard (Choriotis australis); -- called also bebilya.
 Syn: -- Natural; natal; original; congenital.
 Usage: -- Native, Natural, Natal. natural refers to the nature of a thing, or that which springs therefrom; native, to one's birth or origin; as, a native country, language, etc.; natal, to the circumstances of one's birth; as, a natal day, or star. Native talent is that which is inborn; natural talent is that which springs from the structure of the mind. Native eloquence is the result of strong innate emotion; natural eloquence is opposed to that which is studied or artificial.


 Tas·ma·ni·an a. Of or pertaining to Tasmania, or Van Diemen's Land. -- n. A native or inhabitant of Tasmania; specifically Ethnol., in the plural, the race of men that formerly inhabited Tasmania, but is now extinct.
 Tasmanian cider tree. Bot. See the Note under Eucalyptus.
 Tasmanian devil. Zool. See under Devil.
 Tasmanian wolf Zool., a savage carnivorous marsupial; -- called also zebra wolf. See Zebra wolf, under Wolf.

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 Dev·il n.
 1. The Evil One; Satan, represented as the tempter and spiritual of mankind.
    [Jesus] being forty days tempted of the devil.   --Luke iv. 2.
    That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.   --Rev. xii. 9.
 2. An evil spirit; a demon.
    A dumb man possessed with a devil.   --Matt. ix. 32.
 3. A very wicked person; hence, any great evil. “That devil Glendower.”  “The devil drunkenness.”
    Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?   --John vi. 70.
 4. An expletive of surprise, vexation, or emphasis, or, ironically, of negation. [Low]
    The devil a puritan that he is, . . . but a timepleaser.   --Shak.
 The things, we know, are neither rich nor rare,
 But wonder how the devil they got there.   --Pope.
 5. Cookery A dish, as a bone with the meat, broiled and excessively peppered; a grill with Cayenne pepper.
    Men and women busy in baking, broiling, roasting oysters, and preparing devils on the gridiron.   --Sir W. Scott.
 6. Manuf. A machine for tearing or cutting rags, cotton, etc.
 Blue devils. See under Blue.
 Cartesian devil. See under Cartesian.
 Devil bird Zool., one of two or more South African drongo shrikes (Edolius retifer, and Edolius remifer), believed by the natives to be connected with sorcery.
 Devil may care, reckless, defiant of authority; -- used adjectively. --Longfellow.
 Devil's apron Bot., the large kelp (Laminaria saccharina, and Laminaria longicruris) of the Atlantic ocean, having a blackish, leathery expansion, shaped somewhat like an apron.
 Devil's coachhorse. Zool. (a) The black rove beetle (Ocypus olens). [Eng.] (b) A large, predacious, hemipterous insect (Prionotus cristatus); the wheel bug. [U.S.]
 Devil's darning-needle. Zool. See under Darn, v. t.
 Devil's fingers, Devil's hand Zool., the common British starfish (Asterias rubens); -- also applied to a sponge with stout branches. [Prov. Eng., Irish & Scot.]
 Devil's riding-horse Zool., the American mantis (Mantis Carolina).
 The Devil's tattoo, a drumming with the fingers or feet. “Jack played the Devil's tattoo on the door with his boot heels.” --F. Hardman (Blackw. Mag.).
 Devil worship, worship of the power of evil; -- still practiced by barbarians who believe that the good and evil forces of nature are of equal power.
 Printer's devil, the youngest apprentice in a printing office, who runs on errands, does dirty work (as washing the ink rollers and sweeping), etc. “Without fearing the printer's devil or the sheriff's officer.” --Macaulay.
 Tasmanian devil Zool., a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus ursinus syn.  Diabolus ursinus).
 To play devil with, to molest extremely; to ruin. [Low]

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 Tasmanian devil
      n : small ferocious carnivorous marsupial having a mostly black
          coat and long tail [syn: ursine dasyure, {Sarcophilus
          hariisi]