play the devil with someone/something

play the devil with (something)

To ruin or cause serious damage to something; to greatly upset, disrupt, or negatively affect something. Lack of oversight allowed overzealous investment bankers to play the devil with the economy. I love wine, but it plays the devil with my stomach!

See also: devil, play

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

play the devil with someone/something

verb

See play hell with someone/something

See also: devil, play, someone, something

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.