E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Devil’s Mass (The).
Swearing at everybody and everything.
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“Whin a bad egg is shut av the army, he says the devil’s mass … . an’ manes svearin’ at ivrything, from the commandher-in-chief down to the room-corp’ril.”—Soldiers Three, p. 95.
