ProverbHub
EnglishLatin scriptExpression: Verified

Talk of the devil and he'll be sure to appear.

Meanings

Search and comparison operate on a sense, not on the raw text.

Sense: Verified
Meaning and lesson

Someone who was just being discussed turns up unexpectedly, as though mentioning them had summoned them.

The saying draws attention to the timing of the arrival. It does not imply that the conversation caused it or that the person is wicked.

When it is used

Say it when someone arrives just after others have mentioned them. It can be a lighthearted remark about the coincidence, though it may feel awkward if the conversation was unkind.

Register
Conversational