tyrant

• n. 暴君

ラテン語のtyrannus（王、暴君、支配者）、ギリシャ語のtyrannos（王、暴君、支配者）が語源。

tyrant (n.)

c. 1300, "absolute ruler," especially one without legal right; "cruel, oppressive ruler," from Old French tiran, tyrant (12c.), from Latin tyrannus "lord, master, monarch, despot," especially "arbitrary ruler, cruel governor, autocrat" (source also of Spanish tirano, Italian tiranno), from Greek tyrannos "lord, master, sovereign, absolute ruler unlimited by law or constitution," a loan-word from a language of Asia Minor (probably Lydian); Klein compares Etruscan Turan "mistress, lady" (surname of Venus).

In the exact sense, a tyrant is an individual who arrogates to himself the royal authority without having a right to it. This is how the Greeks understood the word 'tyrant': they applied it indifferently to good and bad princes whose authority was not legitimate. [Rousseau, "The Social Contract"]

Originally in Greek the word was not applied to old hereditary sovereignties (basileiai) and despotic kings, but it was used of usurpers, even when popular, moderate, and just (such as Cypselus of Corinth), however it soon became a word of reproach in the usual modern sense. The spelling with -t arose in Old French by analogy with present participle endings in -ant. Fem. form tyranness is recorded from 1590 (Spenser); Medieval Latin had tyrannissa (late 14c.).

1. The guy in charge was the typical smalltown tyrant .

管理者は横暴で、典型的な小さな地方人。

2.The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves.

暴君には奴隷たちの悲鳴は聞こえない。

3.Her grandfather was a tyrant who insisted on absolute silence at the dinner table.

祖父は専横な人で、食事中は絶対に話をしてはいけないと主張している。

4.The country was ruled by a despotic tyrant .

同国は専制暴君の支配下にある。

5.For years the country was ruled by a tyrant .

この国は暴君に何年も支配されている。