Dictionary De - En
De - Es
De - Pt| English Dictionary: publican | by the DICT Development Group |
| 3 results for publican | |
| From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]: | |
| |
| From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: | |
|
Publican \Pub"li*can\, n. [L. publicanus: cf. F. publicain. See {Public}.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A farmer of the taxes and public revenues; hence, a collector of toll or tribute. The inferior officers of this class were often oppressive in their exactions, and were regarded with great detestation. As Jesus at meat . . . many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. --Matt. 1x. 10. How like a fawning publican he looks! --Shak. 2. The keeper of an inn or public house; one licensed to retail beer, spirits, or wine. | |
| From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]: | |
|
Publican one who farmed the taxes (e.g., Zacchaeus, Luke 19:2) to be levied from a town or district, and thus undertook to pay to the supreme government a certain amount. In order to collect the taxes, the publicans employed subordinates (5:27; 15:1; 18:10), who, for their own ends, were often guilty of extortion and peculation. In New Testament times these taxes were paid to the Romans, and hence were regarded by the Jews as a very heavy burden, and hence also the collectors of taxes, who were frequently Jews, were hated, and were usually spoken of in very opprobrious terms. Jesus was accused of being a "friend of publicans and sinners" (Luke 7:34). | |
