Devil's advocate 

    故意唱反调的人     

    Devil是“魔鬼”，advocate是“辩护者”。这个短语是什么意思？请看对话：

    A: Why did you say that capital punishment is necessary to deter those who would otherwise commit serious crimes?

    B: I don't really believe in capital punishment, I'm just playing the devil's advocate.

    Note: The term "Devil's advocate" was brought into English in the 18th century from the mediaval Latin expression "advocatus diaboli." To describe someone as a Devil's advocate now is to suggest that they are mischevious and contradictary, being contrary for the sake of it. In mediaeval Europe, it was, like "chamberlain" or "cordwainer," a job title. There are various mentions in Vatican records dating from the early 1500s of an informal role called "Diaboli Advocatus." The job description wasn't especially onerous. If someone was nominated for either beatification and canonization, the "Devil's advocate" was expected to draw up a list of arguments against the nominee becoming blessed or canonized.