Used to say that the details of a plan, agreement etc are very important and may result in problems
Longman Dictionary
“The devil is in the detail” is an idiomatic expression that means small details are important and can cause significant problems if they are not carefully considered or attended to.
It suggests that even seemingly insignificant details can have hidden complications or difficulties. In essence, it emphasizes the importance of paying close attention to all aspects of a situation or task.
The devil is in the detail
Meaning
It means that when you do not concentrate on the details of something you may run into unexpected problems.
Problems on large projects can often be attributed to small mistakes that were overlooked.
Example Sentences
“Have you seen my beautiful new bag? I paid a fortune for it.”
“Really? It is a fake. The stitching of the original bags is blue, not green.”
“How disappointing. I guess the devil is in the details.”
You need to make sure that your lawyer reads the contracts very carefully. The devil is in the details.
Origin
The original phrase was “God is in the details.” This meant that you needed to ensure that everything you did was done truthfully. The devil is in the details is a variation of the original phrase.
There are numerous stories regarding where the phrase originated from. One being Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, a German philosopher and poet (1844 – 1900.) He was quoted as saying “Der Teufel stecktim Detail” which translates to “the devil is in the details.”
Page Description
Discover ‘the devil is in the detail,’
an idiom highlighting the importance of small,
often overlooked details.
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A lawyer for over 300 sub-postmasters at the centre of the Horizon scandal says it is a “long way from done” despite the government announcing legislation to quash convictions.
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Better keep an eye on your bag!!