Pharisee

Pharisee
a) A member of a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews that flourished during the Second Temple Era (536 –70 ). The movement was ultimately the basis for most contemporary forms of Judaism.

The spider fattens himself on flies, and the Pharisee has his reward. Foolish persons are easily entrapped by the loud professions of pretenders, and even the more judicious cannot always escape.

b) A person who values the letter of the law over the spirit or intention of the law.

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  • Pharisee — Phar i*see (f[a^]r [i^]*s[=e]), n. [L. Pharisaeus, Gr. Farisai^os, from Heb. p[=a]rash to separate.] One of a sect or party among the Jews, noted for a strict and formal observance of rites and ceremonies and of the traditions of the elders, and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Pharisee — O.E. Fariseos, O.Fr. pharise (13c.), both from L.L. Pharisæus, from Gk. Pharisaios, from Aramaic p rishayya, emphatic plural of p rish separated, separatist, corresponding to Hebrew parush, from parash he separated. Ancient Jewish sect (2c. B.C.E …   Etymology dictionary

  • Pharisee — ► NOUN 1) a member of an ancient Jewish sect noted for their strict observance of the traditional and written law. 2) a self righteous or hypocritical person. DERIVATIVES Pharisaic adjective Pharisaical adjective. ORIGIN Greek Pharisaios, from an …   English terms dictionary

  • Pharisee — [far′ə sē΄] n. [ME pharise < OE fariseus & OFr pharisé, both < LL(Ec) Pharisaeus < Gr(Ec) pharasaios < Aram perishaiya, pl. of perish < Heb parush, orig. adj., separated < root prš, cleave, separate] 1. a member of an ancient… …   English World dictionary

  • pharisee — UK [ˈfærɪsiː] / US [ˈferəˌsɪ] noun [countable] Word forms pharisee : singular pharisee plural pharisees 1) Pharisee a member of an ancient Jewish religious group who believed that people should obey religious laws in a strict way 2) someone who… …   English dictionary

  • pharisee — Synonyms and related words: Holy Willie, Joseph Surface, Mawworm, Pecksniff, Pharisee, Tartuffe, affecter, canter, canting hypocrite, dissembler, dissimulator, fair weather friend, false friend, formalist, hypocrite, lip, lip server, lip… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • pharisee — phar|i|see [ ferə,si ] noun count 1. ) Pharisee a member of an ancient Jewish religious group who believed that people should obey religious laws in a strict way 2. ) someone who pretends to be very religious or moral, but is not …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • pharisee — noun (C) 1 someone who pretends to be religious or to be concerned about morals 2 Pharisee a member of a group of Jews who lived at the time of Christ and who believed in strictly obeying religious laws pharisaic adjective …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • pharisee — /ˈfærəsi/ (say faruhsee) noun a pharisaic, self righteous, or hypocritical person. {from Pharisee} …  

  • Pharisee and the Publican — The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican is a parable told by Jesus in the gospel of Luke. In it, a Pharisee, grateful for his own virtue, is judged lower than a tax collector who is ashamed of his own sin. The lesson teaches the value of… …   Wikipedia

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