See wolf in sheep's clothing in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
{
"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"
],
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},
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{
"kind": "other",
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"Terms with redundant transliterations",
"Entry maintenance"
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{
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},
{
"kind": "other",
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},
{
"kind": "other",
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},
{
"kind": "other",
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{
"kind": "other",
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{
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{
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{
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{
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{
"kind": "other",
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{
"kind": "other",
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{
"kind": "other",
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{
"kind": "other",
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{
"kind": "other",
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},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Malay translations",
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},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
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{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Norwegian translations",
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{
"kind": "other",
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{
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{
"kind": "other",
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{
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{
"kind": "other",
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{
"kind": "other",
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{
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{
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{
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{
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{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Terms with Vietnamese translations",
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},
{
"kind": "topical",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "People",
"orig": "en:People",
"parents": [
"Human",
"All topics",
"Fundamental"
],
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},
{
"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"
],
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},
{
"kind": "lifeform",
"langcode": "en",
"name": "Wolves",
"orig": "en:Wolves",
"parents": [
"Canids",
"Carnivores",
"Mammals",
"Vertebrates",
"Chordates",
"Animals",
"Lifeforms",
"All topics",
"Life",
"Fundamental",
"Nature"
],
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}
],
"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": "quote"
},
{
"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": "quote"
},
{
"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": "quote"
},
{
"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": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "[1828 May 15, [Walter Scott], chapter II, in Chronicles of the Canongate. Second Series. […] (The Fair Maid of Perth), volume III, Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and Co.] for Cadell and Co.; London: Simpkin and Marshall, →OCLC, page 27:",
"text": "And if he preached other than the right doctrine, wherefore did his superiors in the Carthusian convent permit it? If the shepherds turn a wolf in sheep's clothing into the flock, they should not blame the sheep for being worried.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"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": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "[1854, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], “The Overture—after which the Curtain Rises upon a Drinking Chorus”, in The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volume I, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], →OCLC, page 4:",
"text": "So the tales were told ages before Æsop: and asses under lion's manes roared in Hebrew; and sly foxes flattered in Etruscan; and wolves in sheep's clothing gnashed their teeth in Sanscrit, no doubt.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"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": "quote"
}
],
"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": "miệng nam mô, bụng bồ dao găm"
},
{
"code": "vi",
"lang": "Vietnamese",
"sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
"word": "miệng bồ tát dạ ớt ngâm"
},
{
"code": "vi",
"english": "literal borrowing",
"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"
},
{
"code": "vi",
"lang": "Vietnamese",
"sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
"word": "ném đá giấu tay"
}
],
"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"
},
{
"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"
}
],
"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 idioms",
"English lemmas",
"English multiword terms",
"English nouns",
"English terms derived from the Bible",
"English terms with quotations",
"Entries with translation boxes",
"Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations",
"Pages with 1 entry",
"Pages with entries",
"Terms with Albanian translations",
"Terms with Belarusian translations",
"Terms with Chechen translations",
"Terms with Czech translations",
"Terms with Danish translations",
"Terms with Dutch translations",
"Terms with Finnish translations",
"Terms with French translations",
"Terms with Galician translations",
"Terms with Georgian translations",
"Terms with German translations",
"Terms with Greek translations",
"Terms with Hindi translations",
"Terms with Hungarian translations",
"Terms with Icelandic translations",
"Terms with Indonesian translations",
"Terms with Italian translations",
"Terms with Japanese translations",
"Terms with Korean translations",
"Terms with Kyrgyz translations",
"Terms with Latin translations",
"Terms with Latvian translations",
"Terms with Lithuanian translations",
"Terms with Malagasy translations",
"Terms with Malay translations",
"Terms with Mandarin translations",
"Terms with Norwegian translations",
"Terms with Persian translations",
"Terms with Polish translations",
"Terms with Portuguese translations",
"Terms with Romanian translations",
"Terms with Russian translations",
"Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations",
"Terms with Serbo-Croatian translations",
"Terms with Slovene translations",
"Terms with Spanish translations",
"Terms with Swedish translations",
"Terms with Telugu translations",
"Terms with Udmurt translations",
"Terms with Ukrainian translations",
"Terms with Vietnamese translations",
"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": "quote"
},
{
"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": "quote"
},
{
"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": "quote"
},
{
"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": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "[1828 May 15, [Walter Scott], chapter II, in Chronicles of the Canongate. Second Series. […] (The Fair Maid of Perth), volume III, Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and Co.] for Cadell and Co.; London: Simpkin and Marshall, →OCLC, page 27:",
"text": "And if he preached other than the right doctrine, wherefore did his superiors in the Carthusian convent permit it? If the shepherds turn a wolf in sheep's clothing into the flock, they should not blame the sheep for being worried.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"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": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "[1854, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], “The Overture—after which the Curtain Rises upon a Drinking Chorus”, in The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volume I, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], →OCLC, page 4:",
"text": "So the tales were told ages before Æsop: and asses under lion's manes roared in Hebrew; and sly foxes flattered in Etruscan; and wolves in sheep's clothing gnashed their teeth in Sanscrit, no doubt.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"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": "quote"
}
],
"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"
},
{
"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"
}
],
"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": "miệng nam mô, bụng bồ dao găm"
},
{
"code": "vi",
"lang": "Vietnamese",
"sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
"word": "miệng bồ tát dạ ớt ngâm"
},
{
"code": "vi",
"english": "literal borrowing",
"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"
},
{
"code": "vi",
"lang": "Vietnamese",
"sense": "someone or something harmful or threatening but disguised as something peaceful or pleasant",
"word": "ném đá giấu tay"
}
],
"word": "wolf in sheep's clothing"
}
Download raw JSONL data for wolf in sheep's clothing meaning in English (20.5kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.