What does 'Better the devil you know' mean?
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This is the shortened form of the full idiom, 'better the devil you know than the devil you don't', and means that it is often better to deal with someone or something you are familiar with and know, even if they are not ideal, than take a risk with an unknown person or thing.
- Category: Religion
Idioms similar to 'Better the devil you know'
- Devil may care
- Devil's advocate
- Speak of the devil!
- Let the devil take the hindmost
- Devil is in the detail
- If you lie down with the Devil, you will wake up in hell
- Between the devil and the deep blue sea
- Idle hands are the devil's handiwork
- Devil finds work for idle hands
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See also:
- View examples in Google: Better the devil you know
- Discussion Forum: English Idioms and Sayings
- Idiom Definition
- Idiom Quizzes