"wolf in sheep's clothing" meaning in All languages combined

{
  "etymology_text": "From Matthew 7:15 in the Bible (King James Version; spelling modernized): “Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "wolves in sheep's clothing",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "wolves in sheep's clothing"
      },
      "expansion": "wolf in sheep's clothing (plural wolves in sheep's clothing)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "wolf"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "paper tiger"
        },
        {
          "word": "sheep in wolf's clothing"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with redundant transliterations",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with raw sortkeys",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Undetermined quotations with omitted translation",
          "parents": [
            "Quotations with omitted translation",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "en:People",
          "parents": [
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "lifeform",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Sheep",
          "orig": "en:Sheep",
          "parents": [
            "Caprines",
            "Livestock",
            "Even-toed ungulates",
            "Agriculture",
            "Animals",
            "Mammals",
            "Applied sciences",
            "Lifeforms",
            "Vertebrates",
            "Sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Life",
            "Chordates",
            "Fundamental",
            "Nature"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "lifeform",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Wolves",
          "orig": "en:Wolves",
          "parents": [
            "Canids",
            "Carnivores",
            "Mammals",
            "Vertebrates",
            "Chordates",
            "Animals",
            "Lifeforms",
            "All topics",
            "Life",
            "Fundamental",
            "Nature"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1659, Edward Burroughs [i.e., Edward Burrough], “Some of the Principles of the Quakers (Scornfully so Called by Men) Vindicated, and Proved Sound, and True, According to the Scriptures: …”, in The Memorable Works of a Son of Thunder and Consolation: […], [London]: [Ellis Hookes], published 1672, →OCLC, page 452",
          "text": "He ſaith, He doth not plead for all who go under the name of Miniſters in England; he fears there is many of them no better than Wolves in Sheep's Clothing, &c. Then why doth he not come out, and cry againſt them, but remain amongſt them in their Practice? For wherein can he clear himſelf of any one thing, which they are guilty of, which he confeſſes are Wolves in Sheep's Clothing? [...] I have as much ground to ſuſpect him to be one of the Wolves in Sheep's Clothing, as he has ground to ſuſpect his own Companions and Generation to be ſuch.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1785 February 9, Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Member of Parliament for Stafford), “[Proceedings relating to the Westminster Scrutiny]”, in [William Cobbett], editor, The Parliamentary History of England, from the Earliest Period to the Year 1803. […] (House of Commons of the United Kingdom), volume XXV, London: Printed by T[homas] C[urson] Hansard, […] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, & Brown; [et al.], published 1815, →OCLC, column 47",
          "text": "If the wolf was to be feared, the learned gentleman might rest assured it would be the wolf in sheep's clothing, the masked pretender to patriotism. It was not from the fang of the lion, but from the tooth of the serpent, that reptile that insidiously steals upon the vitals of the constitution and gnaws it to the heart ere the mischief is suspected, that destruction was to be feared.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1790 February 24, Arthur Browne, “[Committee on the bill to continue an act passed in the 27th year of his present majesty, entitled an act for the better execution of the law and preservation of the peace within counties at large]”, in The Parliamentary Register: Or, History of the Proceedings and Debates of the House of Commons of Ireland, […] (Irish House of Commons), volume X, Dublin: Printed by P. Byrne, […]; and J. Moore, […], →OCLC, page 310",
          "text": "The military power ſhould ever be kept diſtinct. We then ſee it, we know it by its proper name, we are on our guard, but when a power of a ſimilar kind intrudes itſelf upon us, under the name of a civil power, the wolf in ſheep's clothing deceives and endangers us.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1806, Thoughts on Deceit, Margate, Kent: Printed by J. Warren, […], →OCLC, pages 15–16",
          "text": "A deceitful man is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He will appear innocent, cheerful, polite, attentive, kind, obliging, and abjectly condescending; but let him once get you into his power and he becomes more ferocious, more cruel, and more destructive than the most savage animals that ever trod in deserts uninhabited by rational beings.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1836 December 31, Laurie Todd, “Letter from Laurie Todd: Christmas and New-Year’s-Day”, in New-York Mirror, a Weekly Journal, Devoted to Literature and the Fine Arts, volume XIV, number 27, New York, N.Y.: Scott & Co., printers, →OCLC, page 211, column 1",
          "text": "[H]ere, then, was a community of good taste and kind feeling, no sharpers, no black-legs, no wolves in sheep's clothing.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1978 February 17, Thomas Eisner, Karen Hicks, Maria Eisner, Douglas S. Robson, “‘Wolf-in-Sheep’s-Clothing’ Strategy of a Predaceous Insect Larva”, in Science, volume 199, number 4330, Washington, D.C.: American Association for the Advancement of Science, →DOI, →ISSN, →JSTOR, →OCLC, →PMID, page 793, columns 1–2",
          "text": "The larvae, it seemed, had \"passed\" as aphids. Like \"wolves in sheep's clothing\" they appeared to have fooled the guardians of their prey.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Someone who or something which is harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant."
      ],
      "id": "en-wolf_in_sheep's_clothing-en-noun-3P3gkIFi",
      "links": [
        [
          "Someone",
          "someone"
        ],
        [
          "something",
          "something"
        ],
        [
          "harmful",
          "harmful"
        ],
        [
          "threatening",
          "threatening#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "disguised",
          "disguise#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "peaceful",
          "peaceful"
        ],
        [
          "pleasant",
          "pleasant"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) Someone who or something which is harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "devil in disguise"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "wolf in a lamb's skin"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "sq",
          "lang": "Albanian",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "ujk me lëkurë qengji"
        },
        {
          "code": "be",
          "lang": "Belarusian",
          "roman": "voŭk u avječaj škury",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "воўк у авечай шкуры"
        },
        {
          "code": "ce",
          "lang": "Chechen",
          "roman": "kan xiı̇cina borz",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "кан хийцина борз"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "english": "literal borrowing",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "pī zhe yángpí de láng",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "披著羊皮的狼"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "笑裡藏刀"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "xiàolǐcángdāo",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "笑里藏刀"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "黃鼠狼給雞拜年——沒安好心"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "huángshǔláng gěi jī bàinián, méi ān hǎoxīn",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "黄鼠狼给鸡拜年——没安好心"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "vlk v rouše beránčím"
        },
        {
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "ulv i fåreklæder"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "wolf in schaapskleren"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "susi lampaan vaatteissa"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "loup déguisé en agneau"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "loup déguisé en brebis"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "loup déguisé en mouton"
        },
        {
          "code": "gl",
          "lang": "Galician",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "lobo con pel de ovella"
        },
        {
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "mgeli cxvris ṭq̇avši",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "მგელი ცხვრის ტყავში"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "Wolf im Schafspelz"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "lýkos eis dérma provátou",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "λύκος εις δέρμα προβάτου"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "lýkos ntyménos próvato",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "λύκος ντυμένος πρόβατο"
        },
        {
          "code": "hi",
          "lang": "Hindi",
          "roman": "bheṛ kī khāl mẽ bheṛiyā",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "भेड़ की खाल में भेड़िया"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "báránybőrbe bújt farkas"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "úlfur í sauðargæru"
        },
        {
          "code": "is",
          "lang": "Icelandic",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "úlfur undir sauðargæru"
        },
        {
          "code": "id",
          "lang": "Indonesian",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "serigala berbulu domba"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "lupo travestito da agnello"
        },
        {
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "note": "猫被り (ねこかぶり, nekokaburi, literally “pretending to be a cat”)",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant"
        },
        {
          "code": "ja",
          "english": "literal borrowing",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "hitsuji no kawa o kita ōkami",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "羊の皮を着た狼"
        },
        {
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "naesung",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "내숭"
        },
        {
          "code": "ky",
          "lang": "Kyrgyz",
          "roman": "koy terisin jamıngan karışkır",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "кой терисин жамынган карышкыр"
        },
        {
          "code": "la",
          "lang": "Latin",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "lupus in vestimentum ovium"
        },
        {
          "code": "lv",
          "lang": "Latvian",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "vilks aitas ādā"
        },
        {
          "code": "lt",
          "lang": "Lithuanian",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "vilkas avies kailyje"
        },
        {
          "code": "mg",
          "lang": "Malagasy",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "amboadia mitafy hodi-janak' ondry"
        },
        {
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "musang berbulu ayam"
        },
        {
          "code": "ms",
          "lang": "Malay",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "serigala berbulu domba"
        },
        {
          "code": "no",
          "lang": "Norwegian",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "ulv i fåreklær"
        },
        {
          "code": "fa",
          "lang": "Persian",
          "roman": "gorg dar lebâs-e miš",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "گرگ در لباس میش"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "wilk w owczej skórze"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "wilk w jagnięcej skórze"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "lobo em pele de cordeiro"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "lup îmbrăcat în piele de oaie"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "volk v ovéčʹjej škúre",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "волк в ове́чьей шку́ре"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "an sionnach ann an craiceann na caorach"
        },
        {
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "vuk u janjećoj koži"
        },
        {
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "vuk u ovčjoj koži"
        },
        {
          "code": "sl",
          "lang": "Slovene",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "volk v ovčji koži"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "un lobo con piel de cordero"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "lobo con piel de oveja"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "lobo disfrazado de cordero"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "ulv i fårakläder"
        },
        {
          "code": "te",
          "lang": "Telugu",
          "roman": "mēka vanne puli",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "మేక వన్నె పులి"
        },
        {
          "alt": "vylaz—yžku, puškaz—kion",
          "code": "udm",
          "lang": "Udmurt",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "вылаз—ыжку, пушказ—кион"
        },
        {
          "code": "uk",
          "lang": "Ukrainian",
          "roman": "vovk v ovéčij škúri",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "вовк в ове́чій шку́рі"
        },
        {
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "miệng nam mô, bụng một bồ dao găm"
        },
        {
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "sói đội lốt cừu"
        },
        {
          "code": "vi",
          "lang": "Vietnamese",
          "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
          "word": "khẩu phật tâm xà"
        }
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "King James Version",
        "wolf in sheep's clothing"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwʊlf ɪn ˈʃiːps ˈkləʊðɪŋ/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwʊlf ən ˈʃips ˈkloʊðɪŋ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-wolf in sheep's clothing.mp3",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/En-us-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f7/En-us-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.mp3/En-us-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.mp3.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (GA)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-wolf in sheep's clothing.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/30/En-au-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.ogg/En-au-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/En-au-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "wolf in sheep's clothing"
}

{
  "etymology_text": "From Matthew 7:15 in the Bible (King James Version; spelling modernized): “Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "wolves in sheep's clothing",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "wolves in sheep's clothing"
      },
      "expansion": "wolf in sheep's clothing (plural wolves in sheep's clothing)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "hyphenation": [
    "wolf"
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "devil in disguise"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "antonyms": [
        {
          "word": "paper tiger"
        },
        {
          "word": "sheep in wolf's clothing"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
        "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
        "English idioms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English nouns",
        "English terms derived from the Bible",
        "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
        "English terms with audio links",
        "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations",
        "Pages with raw sortkeys",
        "Undetermined quotations with omitted translation",
        "Undetermined terms with quotations",
        "en:People",
        "en:Sheep",
        "en:Wolves"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1659, Edward Burroughs [i.e., Edward Burrough], “Some of the Principles of the Quakers (Scornfully so Called by Men) Vindicated, and Proved Sound, and True, According to the Scriptures: …”, in The Memorable Works of a Son of Thunder and Consolation: […], [London]: [Ellis Hookes], published 1672, →OCLC, page 452",
          "text": "He ſaith, He doth not plead for all who go under the name of Miniſters in England; he fears there is many of them no better than Wolves in Sheep's Clothing, &c. Then why doth he not come out, and cry againſt them, but remain amongſt them in their Practice? For wherein can he clear himſelf of any one thing, which they are guilty of, which he confeſſes are Wolves in Sheep's Clothing? [...] I have as much ground to ſuſpect him to be one of the Wolves in Sheep's Clothing, as he has ground to ſuſpect his own Companions and Generation to be ſuch.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1785 February 9, Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Member of Parliament for Stafford), “[Proceedings relating to the Westminster Scrutiny]”, in [William Cobbett], editor, The Parliamentary History of England, from the Earliest Period to the Year 1803. […] (House of Commons of the United Kingdom), volume XXV, London: Printed by T[homas] C[urson] Hansard, […] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, & Brown; [et al.], published 1815, →OCLC, column 47",
          "text": "If the wolf was to be feared, the learned gentleman might rest assured it would be the wolf in sheep's clothing, the masked pretender to patriotism. It was not from the fang of the lion, but from the tooth of the serpent, that reptile that insidiously steals upon the vitals of the constitution and gnaws it to the heart ere the mischief is suspected, that destruction was to be feared.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1790 February 24, Arthur Browne, “[Committee on the bill to continue an act passed in the 27th year of his present majesty, entitled an act for the better execution of the law and preservation of the peace within counties at large]”, in The Parliamentary Register: Or, History of the Proceedings and Debates of the House of Commons of Ireland, […] (Irish House of Commons), volume X, Dublin: Printed by P. Byrne, […]; and J. Moore, […], →OCLC, page 310",
          "text": "The military power ſhould ever be kept diſtinct. We then ſee it, we know it by its proper name, we are on our guard, but when a power of a ſimilar kind intrudes itſelf upon us, under the name of a civil power, the wolf in ſheep's clothing deceives and endangers us.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1806, Thoughts on Deceit, Margate, Kent: Printed by J. Warren, […], →OCLC, pages 15–16",
          "text": "A deceitful man is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He will appear innocent, cheerful, polite, attentive, kind, obliging, and abjectly condescending; but let him once get you into his power and he becomes more ferocious, more cruel, and more destructive than the most savage animals that ever trod in deserts uninhabited by rational beings.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1836 December 31, Laurie Todd, “Letter from Laurie Todd: Christmas and New-Year’s-Day”, in New-York Mirror, a Weekly Journal, Devoted to Literature and the Fine Arts, volume XIV, number 27, New York, N.Y.: Scott & Co., printers, →OCLC, page 211, column 1",
          "text": "[H]ere, then, was a community of good taste and kind feeling, no sharpers, no black-legs, no wolves in sheep's clothing.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1978 February 17, Thomas Eisner, Karen Hicks, Maria Eisner, Douglas S. Robson, “‘Wolf-in-Sheep’s-Clothing’ Strategy of a Predaceous Insect Larva”, in Science, volume 199, number 4330, Washington, D.C.: American Association for the Advancement of Science, →DOI, →ISSN, →JSTOR, →OCLC, →PMID, page 793, columns 1–2",
          "text": "The larvae, it seemed, had \"passed\" as aphids. Like \"wolves in sheep's clothing\" they appeared to have fooled the guardians of their prey.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Someone who or something which is harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Someone",
          "someone"
        ],
        [
          "something",
          "something"
        ],
        [
          "harmful",
          "harmful"
        ],
        [
          "threatening",
          "threatening#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "disguised",
          "disguise#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "peaceful",
          "peaceful"
        ],
        [
          "pleasant",
          "pleasant"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) Someone who or something which is harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "wolf in a lamb's skin"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "King James Version",
        "wolf in sheep's clothing"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwʊlf ɪn ˈʃiːps ˈkləʊðɪŋ/",
      "tags": [
        "Received-Pronunciation"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwʊlf ən ˈʃips ˈkloʊðɪŋ/",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-us-wolf in sheep's clothing.mp3",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/En-us-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f7/En-us-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.mp3/En-us-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.mp3.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "General-American"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (GA)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-wolf in sheep's clothing.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/3/30/En-au-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.ogg/En-au-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/En-au-wolf_in_sheep%27s_clothing.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "sq",
      "lang": "Albanian",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "ujk me lëkurë qengji"
    },
    {
      "code": "be",
      "lang": "Belarusian",
      "roman": "voŭk u avječaj škury",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "воўк у авечай шкуры"
    },
    {
      "code": "ce",
      "lang": "Chechen",
      "roman": "kan xiı̇cina borz",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "кан хийцина борз"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "english": "literal borrowing",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "pī zhe yángpí de láng",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "披著羊皮的狼"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "笑裡藏刀"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "xiàolǐcángdāo",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "笑里藏刀"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "黃鼠狼給雞拜年——沒安好心"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "huángshǔláng gěi jī bàinián, méi ān hǎoxīn",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "黄鼠狼给鸡拜年——没安好心"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "vlk v rouše beránčím"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "ulv i fåreklæder"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "wolf in schaapskleren"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "susi lampaan vaatteissa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "loup déguisé en agneau"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "loup déguisé en brebis"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "loup déguisé en mouton"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "lobo con pel de ovella"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "mgeli cxvris ṭq̇avši",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "მგელი ცხვრის ტყავში"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "Wolf im Schafspelz"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "lýkos eis dérma provátou",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "λύκος εις δέρμα προβάτου"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "lýkos ntyménos próvato",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "λύκος ντυμένος πρόβατο"
    },
    {
      "code": "hi",
      "lang": "Hindi",
      "roman": "bheṛ kī khāl mẽ bheṛiyā",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "भेड़ की खाल में भेड़िया"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "báránybőrbe bújt farkas"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "úlfur í sauðargæru"
    },
    {
      "code": "is",
      "lang": "Icelandic",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "úlfur undir sauðargæru"
    },
    {
      "code": "id",
      "lang": "Indonesian",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "serigala berbulu domba"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "lupo travestito da agnello"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "note": "猫被り (ねこかぶり, nekokaburi, literally “pretending to be a cat”)",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "english": "literal borrowing",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "hitsuji no kawa o kita ōkami",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "羊の皮を着た狼"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "naesung",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "내숭"
    },
    {
      "code": "ky",
      "lang": "Kyrgyz",
      "roman": "koy terisin jamıngan karışkır",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "кой терисин жамынган карышкыр"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "lupus in vestimentum ovium"
    },
    {
      "code": "lv",
      "lang": "Latvian",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "vilks aitas ādā"
    },
    {
      "code": "lt",
      "lang": "Lithuanian",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "vilkas avies kailyje"
    },
    {
      "code": "mg",
      "lang": "Malagasy",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "amboadia mitafy hodi-janak' ondry"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "musang berbulu ayam"
    },
    {
      "code": "ms",
      "lang": "Malay",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "serigala berbulu domba"
    },
    {
      "code": "no",
      "lang": "Norwegian",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "ulv i fåreklær"
    },
    {
      "code": "fa",
      "lang": "Persian",
      "roman": "gorg dar lebâs-e miš",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "گرگ در لباس میش"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "wilk w owczej skórze"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "wilk w jagnięcej skórze"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "lobo em pele de cordeiro"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "lup îmbrăcat în piele de oaie"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "volk v ovéčʹjej škúre",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "волк в ове́чьей шку́ре"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "an sionnach ann an craiceann na caorach"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "vuk u janjećoj koži"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "vuk u ovčjoj koži"
    },
    {
      "code": "sl",
      "lang": "Slovene",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "volk v ovčji koži"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "un lobo con piel de cordero"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "lobo con piel de oveja"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "lobo disfrazado de cordero"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "ulv i fårakläder"
    },
    {
      "code": "te",
      "lang": "Telugu",
      "roman": "mēka vanne puli",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "మేక వన్నె పులి"
    },
    {
      "alt": "vylaz—yžku, puškaz—kion",
      "code": "udm",
      "lang": "Udmurt",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "вылаз—ыжку, пушказ—кион"
    },
    {
      "code": "uk",
      "lang": "Ukrainian",
      "roman": "vovk v ovéčij škúri",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "вовк в ове́чій шку́рі"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "miệng nam mô, bụng một bồ dao găm"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "sói đội lốt cừu"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
      "word": "khẩu phật tâm xà"
    }
  ],
  "word": "wolf in sheep's clothing"
}