Definition of Tyrant

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Tyrant

An absolute ruler; a sovereign unrestrained by law or constitution; a usurper of sovereignty.

Specifically, a monarch, or other ruler or master, who uses power to oppress his subjects; a person who exercises unlawful authority, or lawful authority in an unlawful manner; one who by taxation, injustice, or cruel punishment, or the demand of unreasonable services, imposes burdens and hardships on those under his control, which law and humanity do not authorize, or which the purposes of government do not require; a cruel master; an oppressor.

Any one of numerous species of American clamatorial birds belonging to the family Tyrannidae; -- called also tyrant bird.

To act like a tyrant; to play the tyrant; to tyrannical.

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Tyrant Quotations

Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.
Thomas Jefferson

The only tyrant I accept in this world is the still voice within.
Mohandas Gandhi

A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side.
Aristotle

Both oligarch and tyrant mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms.
Aristotle

The right of a nation to kill a tyrant in case of necessity can no more be doubted than to hang a robber, or kill a flea.
John Adams

When the tyrant has disposed of foreign enemies by conquest or treaty, and there is nothing more to fear from them, then he is always stirring up some war or other, in order that the people may require a leader.
Plato

This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears he is a protector.
Plato

The sovereign is called a tyrant who knows no laws but his caprice.
Voltaire

If we must have a tyrant, let him at least be a gentleman who has been bred to the business, and let us fall by the axe and not by the butcher's cleaver.
Lord Byron

The tyrant dies and his rule is over, the martyr dies and his rule begins.
Soren Kierkegaard

Tyrant Translations

tyrant in Dutch is dwingeland, geweldenaar, tiran
tyrant in French is tyran
tyrant in German is Tyrann
tyrant in Italian is tiranno
tyrant in Latin is tyrannus
tyrant in Spanish is tirano
tyrant in Swedish is tyrann

Quotes