figure-heads

Such are they who rule aright both states and families; while those forms of flesh, devoid of intellect, are but figure-heads in the market-place.

Electra 2008

We are quick to pass blame as a society, targeting the usual subjects of political and corporate figure-heads, while we fail to take a hard look at ourselves as citizens of a country, rather than individuals in a race to consume and hoard.

Scott Kesterson: Guilt and the Daily Contribution to Terror 2008

Such are they who rule aright both states and families; while those forms of flesh, devoid of intellect, are but figure-heads in the market-place.

Electra 2008

Here the captain sat down on the foot of the bed, and glancing at a dreadful libel on Kitty which ornamented the wall, — the production of some wandering limner, whom the captain secretly admired as having studied portraiture from the figure-heads of ships, — motioned to the young man to take the rush-chair on the other side of the small round table.

A Message from the Sea 2007

Here the captain sat down on the foot of the bed, and glancing at a dreadful libel on Kitty which ornamented the wall, — the production of some wandering limner, whom the captain secretly admired as having studied portraiture from the figure-heads of ships, — motioned to the young man to take the rush-chair on the other side of the small round table.

A Message from the Sea 2007

I guess most of them are mere figure-heads, nowadays, though.

Presidents Don’t Matter, but Dictators Do - Freakonomics Blog - NYTimes.com 2007

The trierarchs, besides the pay given by the state, added somewhat more out of their own means to the wages of the upper ranks of rowers and of the petty officers. 30 The figure-heads and other fittings provided by them were of the most costly description.

The History of the Peloponnesian War Thucydides 2007

As we rode along, we passed a party of Shakers, who were at work upon the road; who wore the broadest of all broad-brimmed hats; and were in all visible respects such very wooden men, that I felt about as much sympathy for them, and as much interest in them, as if they had been so many figure-heads of ships.

American Notes for General Circulation 2007

Its members retired or returned to whatever they had been doing before, with the exception of Benjamin Harrod, who stayed on as one of the figure-heads.

The Path Between the Seas DAVID McCULLOUGH. 2005

Its members retired or returned to whatever they had been doing before, with the exception of Benjamin Harrod, who stayed on as one of the figure-heads.

The Path Between the Seas DAVID McCULLOUGH. 2005