Crossword clues for publican
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Publican \Pub"li*can\, n. [L. publicanus: cf. F. publicain. See Public.]
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(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. The keeper of an inn or public house; one licensed to retail beer, spirits, or wine.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
c.1200, "tax-gatherer," from Old French publician (12c.), from Latin publicanus "a tax collector," noun use of an adjective, "pertaining to public revenue," from publicum "public revenue," noun use of neuter of publicus (see public (adj.)). Original sense in Matt. xviii:17, etc.; meaning "keeper of a pub" first recorded 1728, from public (house) + -an.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context British English) the landlord of a public house 2 a tax collector in ancient Rome
WordNet
n. the keeper of a public house [syn: tavern keeper]
Wikipedia
In antiquity, publicans ( Greek τελώνης telōnēs (singular); Latin publicanus (singular); publicani (plural)) were public contractors, in which role they often supplied the Roman legions and military, managed the collection of port duties, and oversaw public building projects. In addition, they served as tax collectors for the Republic (and later the Roman Empire), bidding on contracts (from the Senate in Rome) for the collection of various types of taxes. Importantly, this role as tax collectors was not emphasized until late into the history of the Republic (c. 1st century BC). The publicans were usually of the class of equites.
Publican may refer to:
- Publican, a public works contractor or tax collector in ancient Rome
- The owner of a pub (public house)
- Fedora Publican Publishing Tool is a DocBook Toolchain for Linux and Windows Platform
Usage examples of "publican".
The great London brewers, it appears, believe that the publicans alone adulterate the beer.
Publicans prosecuted and convicted from 1815 to 1818, for adulterating Beer with illegal Ingredients, and for mixing Table Beer with their Strong Beer.
Young Benson reports that neither publican can recall a visit from him after sunset and that both seem surprised at the question, Wapping is one of the few exceptions where a cheersman never visits at night.
Publican and the masochist try to transform the ambiguity of human condition into a duality: sinner and judge, breast and hand.
Master Prout felt friendly to the publican, as was evident, there were some things he would not overlook, and no offence could be committed more heinous than disregarding his orders.
The publican had seized his right hand, the horse-dealer his left, and the Cantab slapped him on the back.
Scribit Labieno, si rei publicae commodo facere posset, cum legione ad fines Nerviorum veniat.
Duly next morning the rosy-fingered Aurora drew the gold and crimson curtains of the east, and the splendid Apollo, stepping forth from his chamber, took the reins of his unrivalled team, and driving four-in-hand through the sky, like a great swell as he is, took small note of the staring hucksters and publicans by the road-side, and sublimely overlooked the footsore and ragged pedestrians that crawl below his level.
Watty was considered the most hopeless publican and his customers the hardest crowd of boozers in Bourke.
The best of this company was naturally not the humble homekeeping publican or cottager, but the man or woman of the roads, Gypsy or Irish.
The old character actress who had retired to the seaside and now supplemented her pension by playing the parts of a postwoman, a lady vicar and the mostly dignified, but occasionally drunk wife of a publican in Holiday Bay, was adamant.
Put one cohort at the Port of Rome, the Campus Lanatarius, the Piscinae Publicae, the Porta Capena, the Circus Maximus, the Forum Boarium, the Forum Holitorium, the Velabrum, the Circus Flaminius, and the Campus Martius.
Timothy Harris, and other publicans of good taste, lament, as the severest lot annexed to their calling, namely, that of being obliged to keep company with their guests.
Teekleman in his guise as standover man was the first sign of her displeasure and a warning to the publican to pull up his socks.
Hush, the babies are sleeping, the farmers, the fishers, the tradesmen and pensioners, cobbler, schoolteacher, postman and publican, the undertaker and the fancy woman, drunkard, dressmaker, preacher, policeman, the webfoot cocklewomen and the tidy wives.