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tyrant Definition

ty·rant (rənt)

noun

  1. an absolute ruler; specif., in ancient Greece, etc., one who seized sovereignty illegally; usurper
  2. a cruel, oppressive ruler; despot
  3. any person who exercises authority in an oppressive manner; cruel master
  4. a tyrannical influence

Etymology: ME tirant < OFr tiran, tirant (with -t after ending -ant of prp.) < L tyrannus < Gr tyrannos

tyrant Synonyms

tyrant

n.

despot, absolute ruler, inquisitor; see dictator.

tyrant Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • topple: To conquer al-Qaeda, to find WMD, to topple an evil tyrant?
  • let: Either you are prepared to depose the tyrant or you are prepared to let the tyrant walk all over the world.
  • remove: In this episode Cleomenes attacks Naxos and removes the tyrant, which shows he is prepared to attack overseas.
  • become: These men, in their turn, became tyrants.
  • see: You see a dangerous tyrant, I see an imperialistic war just like Vietnam.
  • make: How can he make these tyrants his own instruments?

Converse of subject

  • murder: Archbishop of Lyons, murdered by the tyrant Ebroin.

Adjective modifier

  • bloodthirsty: So did General Tojo, and Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung, and every bloodthirsty tyrant in the history of the world.
  • murderous: The answer may well put the murderous tyrant in second place.
  • cruel: And he could not face watching the cruel tyrant of time breaking her slowly into a bent and withered old woman.
  • ruthless: Not only are there, and have there been, ruthless tyrants that kill and murder, like King Herod in Jesus ' day.
  • petty: If you ran a news system you could be a petty tyrant.
  • brutal: In fact they would still be living under a brutal tyrant.

Modifies a noun

  • ruler: Before the people shall be free three tyrant rulers shall she see.
  • king: When T.rex ruled the world - Tyrannosaurus rex is the Latin word for tyrant king.
  • lizard: The king of the tyrant lizards, Tyrannosaurus Rex, is shown battling with a Stegosaurus.
  • reign: I say, how long oh Lord shall tyrants reign?

Noun used with modifier

  • world: Perhaps rednecks and third world tyrants can teach us how to build child prisons that work.

Preposition: in

  • history: Mugabe has now done enough to ensure that he to, like all tyrants in history is about to go.

Preposition: of

  • century: It was Stalin, the most odious tyrant of the century.
tyrant Quotes

EŁ  loquence quipersuade par douceur, non par empire, en tyran, non en roi. Eloquence should persuade gently, not by force or like a tyrant or king.

—Pascal, Blaise

Illness and death†the only things that a tyrant has in commonwith his subjects† In thissensealone, a nation profits from being run byan old man.

—Brodsky, Ioseph

The night is darkening round me, The wild winds coldly blow; But a tyrant spell has bound me And I cannot, cannot go.

—Bronte«  , EmilyJane

Thou tyrant, tyrant Jealousy, Thou tyrant of the mind!

—Dryden,John

High upon the gallows tree Swung the noble-hearted three By the vengeful tyrant stricken in their bloom; But they met him face to face With the courage of their race, And they went with souls undaunted to their doom. 'God save Ireland!'said the heroes; 'God save Ireland', say they all: Whether on the scaffold high Or the battlefield we die, Oh, what matter when for Erin dear we fall.

—Sullivan,Timothy Daniel

Browse dictionary entries near tyrant

  1. tyranny
  2. tyrannous
  3. tyrannosaur
  4. tyrannize
  5. tyrannicide
  6. tyrannical
  7. tyramine
  8. Tyr
  9. typology
  10. typography
  1. tyrant flycatcher
  2. tyre
  3. Tyrian
  4. tyro
  5. tyrocidine
  6. Tyrol
  7. Tyrolean hat
  8. Tyrolienne
  9. Tyrone
  10. tyrosinase