publican
/'pʌblikən/
Definition
- Noun:
- The keeper of a public house: A person who owns or manages a pub (public house), an establishment licensed to sell alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises.
- (Historical) A tax collector: In ancient Rome, a person who collected public taxes, often seen negatively for profiting from the role.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Modern - Pub Keeper):
- Noun (Historical - Tax Collector):
Advanced Usage
- The term "publican" in its modern sense is primarily used in British and Commonwealth English. In American English, terms like "bartender," "bar owner," or "innkeeper" are more common for the role.
- In historical or religious contexts, it almost exclusively refers to the ancient Roman tax collector.
Variants and Related Words
- Public house (n): The full term for a pub; the establishment run by a publican.
- Publicanship (n, rare): The position or occupation of being a publican.
Synonyms
- For Pub Keeper: Innkeeper, tavern keeper, landlord, licensee, barkeeper.
- For Historical Tax Collector: Tax collector, tax farmer, revenue agent.
Related Phrases
- "Publican's measure": Refers to a generous pour of an alcoholic drink, implying the publican is not being stingy.
- "To be in the publican's books": An old phrase meaning to have a line of credit or a tab at a pub.
Notes on Meaning
- The two meanings are distinct and separated by context. The modern meaning (pub keeper) evolved in Britain because the "public house" was a place of public resort, and its keeper was thus a "publican." The historical meaning originates from Latin (a public contractor, especially for taxes).
Noun
- the keeper of a public house
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