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publican |
3 definitions found 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 WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: publican n : (British) the keeper of a public house [syn: {tapster}] 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).
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