Lived up to a bad name (5)

I believe the answer is:

devil

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'a bad name' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both related to communication as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?

'lived up' is the wordplay.
'up' shows that the letters should be reversed in order (in down clue: letters go upwards).
'lived' back-to-front is 'DEVIL'.

'to' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for devil that I've seen before include "Coat spicily; do hackwork" , "Lucifer" , "Demon" , "Lived with Satan" , "Beelzebub, Satan" .)

I've seen this clue in The Globe and Mail and the Evening Standard.

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