411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Old Nick
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
English
Etymology
Originally 17th century. Apparently a special use of the forename en Nick, perhaps in jocular or contrastive reference to Saint Nicholas. Alternatively, it may be derived from en nicker, or some other derivative of en ang nicor water demon.1914 3986 Nick 2
Pronunciation
en
en LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Old Nick.wav Southern England
Proper noun
Old Nick
The Devil; Satan.
en Old Harry Old Ned Old Scratch Old Serpent Thesaurus:Satan
en 1886 H.L. Brækstad w:Peter Christen Asbjørnsen Folk and Fairy Tales 158 He sat down in the middle of the floor, took his chalk out and marked a large ring around him, and round about this he wrote the Lord's Prayer, and then he did not feel afraid even if Old Nick himself should come.
References
en Theology