publicans

Noun (1)

publican (plural publicans)

1. (Ireland, UK) The landlord (manager or owner) of a public house (“a bar or tavern, often also selling food and sometimes lodging; a pub”).
   • I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer, / The publican 'e up an 'sez, 'We serve no red-coats here.'1890, Rudyard Kipling, “Tommy”, in Barrack-Room Ballads and Other Verses, 3rd edition, London: Methuen & Co. […], published 1892, →OCLC, page 6

   Synonyms:

   ale-draper, alekeep, alekeeper, licensed victualler, licensee, bung, taverner, tavernkeep, tavernkeeper

2. (Commonwealth, broadly) The manager or owner of a hotel.

   Synonyms:

   hotelier

Noun (2)

publican (plural publicans)

1. (Ancient-Rome, historical) A tax collector, especially one working in Judea and Galilee during New Testament times (1st century C.E.) who was generally regarded as sinful for extorting more tax than was due, and as a traitor for serving the Roman Empire.
   • Matthevv vvhiche vvas other vvyſe alſo called Leui, beyng of a Puplican made an Apoſtle, firſt of all others compoſed and vvrote in Jevvrye, the ghoſpell of Chriſte in the Hebrue tounge, […]1549 February 10 (Gregorian calendar; indicated as 1548), Jerome, “The Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Gospell of Saincte Matthew. The Lyfe of Sainct Matthew […].”, in Nicolas Udall [i.e., Nicholas...
2. (archaic, broadly) Any person who collects customs duties, taxes, tolls, or other forms of public revenue.
   • Another ſort there be vvho vvhen they hear that all things ſhall be order'd, all things regulated and ſetl'd; nothing vvritt'n but vvhat paſſes through the cuſtom-houſe of certain Publicans that have the tunaging and the poundaging of all free ſpok'n truth, vvill ſtrait give themſelvs up into your...1644, John Milton, Areopagitica; a Speech of Mr. John Milton for the Liberty of Unlicenc’d Printing, to the Parlament of England, London: [s.n.], →OCLC, page 27
3. (archaic, figuratively) One regarded as extorting money from others by charging high prices.
4. (archaic, figuratively) A person excommunicated from the church; an excommunicant or excommunicate; also, a person who does not follow a Christian religion; a heathen, a pagan.

See all 7 meanings of publican