praetorian

/pri'tɔ:riən/

Thân thiện

The senator was protected by a loyal praetorian.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Characteristic of or similar to the corruptible soldiers in the ancient Roman Praetorian Guard, especially regarding corruption, political venality, or unscrupulous service to authority: Describes a person, group, or system that is loyal to a powerful leader or regime in a way that is corrupt, self-serving, and often oppressive.
   • Of or relating to a Roman praetor (a high-ranking official or judge): Pertaining to the authority, office, or functions of a praetor in ancient Rome.

2. Noun:

   • A member of the Praetorian Guard: A soldier serving in the elite military unit that acted as personal bodyguards and intelligence agents for Roman emperors.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:

  • The dictator was protected by a praetorian cadre of loyalists who controlled all key institutions.
  • The historian described the palace intrigue as a praetorian struggle for the emperor's favor.
  • The novel explores the praetorian politics within a modern corporation's boardroom.

• Noun:

  • The emperor's life was saved by a loyal praetorian during the assassination attempt.
  • As a praetorian, his primary duty was to protect the imperial family.

Advanced Usage

• "Praetorian" ethos/culture: Refers to an organizational culture marked by blind loyalty to a leader, internal intrigue, and the use of power for personal gain.

  • The company's praetorian culture stifled innovation and encouraged sycophancy.

• Modern "Praetorian Guard": Used metaphorically to describe any powerful, loyal, and potentially unaccountable security force or inner circle protecting a modern leader.

  • The president's private security detail was accused of acting like a modern Praetorian Guard, operating outside normal chains of command.

Variants and Related Words

• Praetorian Guard (noun phrase): The specific historical institution or its modern metaphorical equivalent.

  • The Praetorian Guard was originally formed to protect Roman generals.

• Praetor (noun): The Roman magistrate from which the term originates.

• Praetorial (adjective): A less common variant meaning "of or relating to a praetor."
• Praetorianism (noun): A system or practice where the military or a powerful guard exercises political control or undue influence.

Synonyms

• Adjective (for the corrupt sense): Corrupt, venal, mercenary, sycophantic, loyalist (in a negative sense).
• Noun: Guardsman, bodyguard, sentinel (specifically for the historical guard member).

Related Phrases

• To be a praetorian of [something]: To serve as a fiercely loyal and often unquestioning defender of a person, idea, or institution.
  • He became a praetorian of the old ideological regime, resisting all reforms.

Related Idioms

• "Praetorian instinct": The tendency to form a protective, exclusive, and powerful inner circle around a leader.
  • The CEO's praetorian instinct led him to trust only a handful of advisors from his original startup team.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. characteristic of or similar to the corruptible soldiers in the Praetorian Guard with respect to corruption or political venality
   • a large Praetorian bureaucracy filled with ambitious...and often sycophantic people makes work and makes trouble- Arthur M.Schlesinger Jr.
2. of or relating to a Roman praetor
   • praetorial powers

Noun

1. a member of the Praetorian Guard

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Praetorian
• Pretorian
• praetorial
• pretorian
• pretorial
• Praetorian Guard