a devil of a time/job etcold-fashioned spoken a difficult or unpleasant time, job etc 难熬的时光/费力的工作等 We had a devil of a job trying to get the carpet clean again. 我们费了死劲想重新把地毯清洗干净。
a devil of a time/job etc• But I've always found the Flying V and its derivatives a devil of a job to sit down with and play.• If he filled those in they'd have a devil of a job lifting them!• It took me a devil of a time to find it I can tell you.• He was taking a devil of a time to change.
→ a devil of a time/job etc at devil(7)