tyrant

tyrant
noun Etymology: Middle English tyraunt, from Anglo-French tyran, tyrant, from Latin tyrannus, from Greek tyrannos Date: 14th century 1. a. an absolute ruler unrestrained by law or constitution b. a usurper of sovereignty 2. a. a ruler who exercises absolute power oppressively or brutally b. one resembling an oppressive ruler in the harsh use of authority or power

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Tyrant — Жанр атмосферный блэк метал (ранний), симфонический блэк метал Годы с 1994 Страна …   Википедия

  • Tyrant — Tyr ant (t[imac] rant), n. [OE. tirant, tiraunt, tyraunt, OF. tiran, tirant (probably from confusion with the p. pr. of verbs), F. tyran, L. tyrannus, Gr. ty rannos, originally, an absolute sovereign, but afterwards, a severe or cruel ruler.] 1.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tyrant — c.1300, absolute ruler, from O.Fr. tyrant (12c.), from L. tyrannus lord, master, tyrant (Cf. Sp. tirano, It. tiranno), from Gk. tyrannos lord, master, sovereign, absolute ruler, a loan word from a language of Asia Minor (probably Lydian); Cf.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Tyrant — Ty rant, v. i. To act like a tyrant; to play the tyrant; to tyrannical. [Obs.] Fuller. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tyrant — index dictator Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 tyrant n. A single absolute ruler; a …   Law dictionary

  • tyrant — In modern use the word denotes the manner in which authority is exercised, i.e. oppressively and cruelly. In its ancient Greek context, it refers to the manner in which authority was achieved, i.e. by unconstitutional means. Once in power, a… …   Modern English usage

  • tyrant — [n] person who dictates, oppresses absolute ruler, absolutist, authoritarian, autocrat, bully, despot, dictator, Hitler*, inquisitor, martinet, oppressor, slave driver*, Stalin*; concepts 354,412 Ant. democrat …   New thesaurus

  • tyrant — ► NOUN 1) a cruel and oppressive ruler. 2) a person exercising power or control in a cruel and arbitrary way. 3) (especially in ancient Greece) a ruler who seized absolute power without legal right. ORIGIN Greek turannos …   English terms dictionary

  • tyrant — [tī′rənt] n. [ME tirant < OFr tiran, tirant (with t after ending ant of prp.) < L tyrannus < Gr tyrannos] 1. an absolute ruler; specif., in ancient Greece, etc., one who seized sovereignty illegally; usurper 2. a cruel, oppressive ruler; …   English World dictionary

  • Tyrant — In modern usage, a tyrant is a single ruler holding absolute power over a state or within an organization. The term carries modern connotations of a harsh and cruel ruler who places his or her own interests or the interests of a small oligarchy… …   Wikipedia

  • tyrant —    Used historically of someone who seizes sovereign power in a state and becomes an absolute ruler, often enforcing that rule with acts of cruelty.    The word is used more loosely of anyone who exercises power, and it could once be applied to… …   A dictionary of epithets and terms of address

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