The devil is in the details

The expression "the devil is in the details" refers to a catch or mysterious element hidden in the details.

Usage

Though the original form most likely had the expression ending with "detail" (sans -s), colloquial usage often ends the idiom as "details". It should be noted that detail, sans -s, can be used as both a singular and collective noun. Additionally, "the" is often added to the popular variant "Devil in the Details" due to the colloquial usage of "the devil", similarly the form "A Devil in the Detail" is also common; most often when referencing a specific catch. "is" can also be dropped from the expression.

Variants

The idiom God is in the detail expresses the idea that whatever one does should be done thoroughly; i.e. details are important.

More recently, the expressions "Governing (is) in the Detail(s)" and "(The) Truth (is) in the Detail(s)" have appeared.

Origin

An earlier form "Le bon Dieu est dans le detail" (the good God is in the detail) is generally attributed to Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880). Bartlett's Familiar Quotations lists the saying's author as anonymous.

It has been attributed to a number of different individuals, most notably to German-born architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe (1886-1969) by The New York Times in Mies' 1969 obituary, however it is generally accepted to not have originated with him. The expression also appears to have been a favorite of German art historian Aby Warburg (1866-1929), though Warburg's biographer, E.M. Gombrich, is likewise uncertain if it originated with Warburg.

References

• Bartlett, John, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations: A Collection of Passages, Phrases, and Proverbs Traced to Their Sources in Ancient and Modern Literature, 17th ed., Little, Brown and Company, November 2002
• Titelman, Gregory, Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings, Random House Reference, March 5, 1996
• Dictionary.com