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    better the devil you know than the devil you don't know
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  3. Jul 17, 2023 · What does "the devil you know" mean? It's an idiom that suggests that it is often better to deal with a known but unfavorable situation than to risk dealing with an unknown, potentially more dangerous one.

    • Better The Devil You Know Meaning
    • Origin of Better The Devil You Know
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    Definition: Something bad but known is better than something unknown. This proverb, often shortened to “better the devil you know,” describes how to deal with something unpleasant. The “devil” could be any bad person, place, or thing. This idea behind this proverb is that dealing with a bad thing that you already know and have faced is preferable t...

    This is an Irish proverb that has been in use since the 1300s. There are two main ideas about its origins. Some say that it first appeared in a book of proverbs by R. Taverner. Others claim that it was first said during a war for control between two brothers. According to this tale, when one brother took over rule, the commoners were happy because ...

    This phrase is most often used to describe people. For example, a politician in power may be frustrating or corrupt, but people may fear that his or her opponent in an election will create worse laws and be even more corrupt. In this situation, it is better to vote for the “devil you know” because people understand how to work with that politician ...

    “Various people, especially his Senate colleagues, have repeatedly said on and off the record that he’s terrible to work with, but what’s past is past. As they say, better the devil you know than t...

    Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know cautions that although something may be bad now, an unknown option could be even worse.

  4. Sep 17, 2023 · The phrase "better the devil you know" conveys a preference for sticking with a familiar situation or individual, even if they aren't perfect, over venturing into the unknown. It underscores the human tendency to opt for predictability over uncertainty.

  5. The meaning of BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW THAN THE DEVIL YOU DON'T is —used to say that it is better to deal with a difficult person or situation one knows than with a new person or situation that could be worse.

  6. May 29, 2024 · “Better the Devil You Know” represents a prime example of the infectious pop sound that dominated the charts in the ’80s and ’90s. Its success and enduring popularity have solidified its status as a classic pop anthem.

    • Austin Goodrich
  7. If you say better the devil you know or better the devil you know than the devil you don't know, you mean that you would prefer to have contact with or do business with a person you already know, even though you don't like them, than with a person you don't know.

  8. BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW (THAN THE DEVIL YOU DON'T) meaning: 1. said when you think it is wiser to deal with someone or something familiar, although you do not…. Learn more.

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