the devil's own time

the devil's own time

A great deal of difficulty or frustration. I'm having the devil's own time getting this window open—I think it has been painted shut. It was the devil's own time convincing Grandpa to go to the doctor for that bad cough.
See also: own, time
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

the devil’s own time

n. a very difficult time; a hellish time. I had the devil’s own time with these tax forms.
See also: own, time
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • the devil’s own time
  • the devil's own job
  • have the devil's own job
  • the devil's own
  • the devil's own (something)
  • (the) odds are (that)
  • do something in your own sweet time/way
  • in (one's) own sweet time
  • each to his/her/their own
  • noggin
References in periodicals archive
One has the devil's own time for saying something nice about nuclear generating plants, factory manufactured and embalmed food, cloning, angioplasty or cruise missiles.
"But we've always done it that way!"