villain of the piece, the
Save This Word!
The person to blame for what is bad or wrong, as in I'm afraid the caterer is the villain of the piece—the food wasn't ready for hours. The piece in this term alludes to a play in which the villain is the character whose evildoing is important to the plot. [Mid-1800s]
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON OPPOSITES OF RED BEFORE YOU TURN SCARLET
We have a challenge that will make you blush: do you know the many words and ways to describe the opposite of red?
Question 1 of 7
Which of the following colors is used to symbolize AIR?
Words nearby villain of the piece, the
theurgy, Vatican Swindle, The, very thing, the, Vicar of Wakefield, The, “The Village Blacksmith”, villain of the piece, the, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, thew, wages of sin, the, walls have ears, the, The Wash
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.