Hypocrisy

views updated

345. Hypocrisy (See also Pretension.)

Alceste judged most social behavior as hypocritical. [Fr. Lit.: Le Misanthrope ]
Ambrosio self-righteous abbot of the Capuchins at Madrid. [Br. Lit.: Ambrosio, or The Monk ]
Angelo externally austere but inwardly violent. [Br. Lit.: Measure for Measure ]
Archimago enchanter, disguised as hermit, wins confidence of Knight. [Br. Lit.: Faerie Queene ]
Arsinoé false prude. [Fr. Lit.: The Misanthrope ]
Atar Gul trusted domestic; betrays those he serves. [Fr. Lit.: Atar Gul, Walsh Modern, 32]
Bigotes 12th-century French order regarded as hypocritical. [Fr. Hist.: Espy, 99]
Blifil Allworthy’s nephew; talebearer and consummate pietist. [Br. Lit.: Tom Jones ]
Blood, Col. Thomas (1628–1680) false in honor and religion. [Br. Lit.: Peveril of the Peak, Walsh Modern, 61]
Boulanger, Ralph Emma’s lover pretends repentance to avoid commitment. [Fr. Lit.: Madame Bovary ]
Boynton, Egeria religious charlatan. [Am. Lit.: Undiscovered Country ]
Buncombe County insincere speeches made solely to please this constituency by its representative, 1819–1821. [Am. Usage: Misc.]
Célimène ridicules people when absent; flatters them when present. [Fr. Lit.: Le Misanthrope ]
Cantwell, Dr. lives luxuriously by religious cant. [Br. Lit.: The Hypocrite, Brewer Handbook, 175]
Chadband, Rev. pharisaic preacher; thinks he’s edifying his hearers. [Br. Lit.: Bleak House ]
Christian, Edward conspirator; false to everyone. [Br. Lit.: Peveril of the Peak, Walsh Modern, 96]
crocodile tears crocodile said to weep after devouring prey. [Western Folklore: Jobes, 383; Mercatante, 9–10]
Dimmesdale, Arthur acted the humble minister for seven years while former amour suffered. [Am. Lit.: The Scarlet Letter ]
Gallanbiles, the pretend piety on Sabbath but demand dinner. [Br. Lit.: Nicholas Nickleby ]
Gantry, Elmer ranting preacher succumbs to alcohol, fornication, theft, and cowardice. [Am. Lit.: Elmer Gantry ]
Gashford humble manner masks sly, shirking character. [Br. Lit.: Barnaby Rudge ]
Goneril and Regan to inherit their father’s possessions they falsely profess great love for him. [Br. Drama: Shakespeare King Lear ]
Haskell, Eddie gentleman with adults, troublemaker behind their backs. [TV: “Leave it to Beaver” in Terrace, II, 18–19]
Heep, Uriah the essence of insincerity. [Br. Lit.: David Copperfield ]
Honeythunder, Luke his philanthropy hid animosity. [Br. Lit.: Edwin Drood ]
Manders self-righteous pastor agrees to blackmail. [Nor. Lit.: Ghosts ]
Martext, Sir Oliver a “most vile” hedge-priest. [Br. Lit.: As You Like It ]
Mawworm sanctimonious preacher. [Br. Lit.: The Hypocrite, Brewer Handbook, 687]
Mr. By-ends embraces religion when it is easy to practice and to his advantage. [Br. Lit.: Bunyan Pilgrim’s Progress ]
newspeak official speech of Oceania; language of contradictions. [Br. Lit.: 1984]
Pecksniff pretentious, unforgiving architect of double standards. [Br. Lit.: Martin Chuzzlewit ]
Pharisees sanctimonious lawgivers do not practise what they preach. [N.T.: Matthew 3:7; 23:1–15; Luke 18:9–14]
Potemkin village false fronts constructed to deceive. [Russ. Hist.: Espy, 339]
Sainte Nitouche sanctimonious and pretentious person (Fr. n’y touche ). [Fr. Usage: Brewer Dictionary, 760]
Snawley sanctimonious hypocrite; placed stepsons in Dotheboys Hall. [Br. Lit.: Nicholas Nickleby ]
Square, Mr. Tom’s tutor; spouts hypocritically about the beauty of virtue. [Br. Lit.: Tom Jones ]
Surface, Joseph pays lip service to high principles while engaging in treacherous intrigues. [Br. Drama: Sheridan The School for Scandal ]
Tartuffe swindles benefactor by pretending religious piety. [Fr. Lit.: Tartuffe ]
Vicar of Bray changes religious affiliation to suit reigning monarch. [Br. Folklore: Walsh Classical, 61]
Walrus wept in sympathy for the oysters he and the Carpenter devoured. [Br. Lit.: Lewis Carroll Through the Looking-Glass ]
Whelp, the nickname for hypocritical Tom Gradgrind. [Br. Lit.: Hard Times ]
whited sepulchres analogy in Jesus’s denunciation of Pharisees’ sanctimony. [N.T.: Matthew 23:27]