Pharisee

  1. Noun.  A member of a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews that flourished during the Second Temple Era (536 (B.C.E.) –70 (C.E.) ). The movement was ultimately the basis for most contemporary forms of Judaism.
  2. Noun.  (idiomatic) A person who values the letter of the law over the spirit or intention of the law.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.