Phrase guide

he who sups with the devil should have a long spoon

proverb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

proverb

Meaning 1

One must be careful when dealing with bad people.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • January 17, 2017 CommunityNews Australia Labor should beware, though, of aligning itself with the dreadlocks and thumb-locks brigade – he who sups with the devil should have a long spoon.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.