"Speak of the devil" would be an insult, except that in modern conversation, it is almost always said sarcastically, just to note to coincidence of someone appearing just as you're speaking about them.
As this saying compares a person to the devil, perhaps it might seem offensive – but it isn't! It originates from an old superstition that people should not directly name the devil – as bad things will happen as a consequence.
informal. used in speech to say that someone one has been talking about has unexpectedly appeared. "Well, speak of the devil! We were just talking about you!"
“Speak of the Devil” simply means when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to walk into the room. Example of use: “We were huddled around the tv, talking about Fred, when he walked in. Well, speak of the devil!”
The term is a shortened version of the phrase, Speak of the Devil and he will appear. This proverb appears in England during the Middle Ages as an admonition against the danger of uttering the name of the Devil, Satan or Lucifer.
It was first printed in Giovanni Torriano's 'Piazza Universale'in 1666, where he wrote, “The English say, Talk of the Devil, and he's presently at your elbow”.
Nicknamed the "Devil's Language" (恶魔之语; Èmó zhī yǔ) for its complexity and difficulty, it is the most divergent division of Wu Chinese, with little to no mutual intelligibility with other Wu dialects or any other variety of Chinese.
Interjection. [see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil] Indicates willingness to be in good mind, speech and action, and not dwell on evil thoughts. Indicates a conniving attitude; indicates willingness to turn a blind eye towards evil.
Definition: It's impossible for pigs to fly, so when someone says this, they are saying that something will (most likely) never happen.
Osculum infame is the name of a witch's supposed ritual greeting upon meeting with the Devil. The name means the 'shameful kiss' or 'kiss of shame', since it involved kissing the devil's anus, his "other" mouth. According to folklore, it was this kiss that allowed the Devil to seduce women.
Banquo is aware of the possibility that the prophecies may have been the work of supernatural dark forces, as exemplified in his lines "What? Can the Devil speak true?" (108) and "oftentimes, to win us to our harm, / The instruments of Darkness tell us truths . . . — (only) to betray us" (123-125).
to talk to incessantly or at great length.
A deal with the Devil (also called a Faustian bargain or Mephistophelian bargain) is a cultural motif exemplified by the legend of Faust and the figure of Mephistopheles, as well as being elemental to many Christian traditions.
The three wise monkeys are a pictorial maxim, embodying the proverbial principle "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". The three monkeys are Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no evil; Kikazaru, covering his ears, who hears no evil; and Iwazaru, covering his mouth, who speaks no evil.
The fourth monkey is Shizaru, symbolising the principle of "do no evil", and is forced into covering his abodomen and crossing his arms by wearing a straight-jacket and has a paper bag over his head.
If you were to tell the actor to “break a leg,” you were wishing them the opportunity to perform and get paid. The sentiment remains the same today; the term means “good luck, give a good performance.” No matter which version you choose to believe, well-wishes are always appreciated.
Fat chance
Origins: The origins of this expression are unclear, but the use of the word “fat” is likely to be a sarcastic version of saying “slim chance”. A similar expression is “Chance would be a fine thing”, which refers to something that one would like to happen, but that is very unlikely.
Most religious scholars and historians agree with Pope Francis that the historical Jesus principally spoke a Galilean dialect of Aramaic. Through trade, invasions and conquest, the Aramaic language had spread far afield by the 7th century B.C., and would become the lingua franca in much of the Middle East.
Some Christians see the languages written on the INRI cross (Syriac, Greek and Latin) as God's languages.
Traditional Jewish exegesis such as Midrash says that Adam spoke the Hebrew language because the names he gives Eve – Isha and Chava – only make sense in Hebrew.