sophister

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“
The father of lies is a cunning sophister, and knoweth, how to shake their grounds and cast all loose 3.

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Definitions (6)

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  1. A man of learning; a teacher; specifically, a professional teacher of philosophy; a sophist. And ʒut thei seien sothliche, and so doth the Sarrasyns, That Iesus was bote a Iogelour, a Iaper a-monge the comune, And a sophistre of sorcerie and pseudo-propheta. Piers Plowman (C), xviii. 311. As the sophister said in the Greek comedy, “Clouds become any thing as they are represented.” Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), I. 688
  2. A sophist; a quibbler; a subtle and fallacious reasoner. These impudent sophisters, who deny matter of fact with so steeled a front. Evelyn, True Religion, Pref., p. xxx. You very cunningly put a Question about Wine, by a French Trick, which I believe you learn'd at Paris, that you may save your Wine by that Means. Ah, go your Way; I see you're a Sophister. N. Bailey, tr. of Colloquies of Erasmus, I. 74. The age of chivalry is gone: that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded. Burke, Rev. in France.
  3. In English universities, a student advanced beyond the first year of his residence, now generally called a soph. At Cambridge during the first year the students have the title of freshmen, or first-year men; during the second, second-year men, or junior sophs or sophisters; and during the third year, third-year men, or senior sophs or sophisters. In the older American colleges the junior and senior classes were originally called junior sophisters and senior sophisters. The terms were similarly applied to students in their third and fourth years in Dublin University. Compare sophomore. I have known the railingest sophisters in an university sit non plus. G. Harvey, Four Letters. In case any of the Sophisters fail in the premises required at their hands. Quincy, Hist. Harvard Univ., I. 518 (Hall's College Words).
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Examples (39)

  • Therefore will I commit him to some learned man, to have him indoctrinated according to his capacity, and will spare no cost Footnote 13: The famous horse Bucephalus is here referred to Whereupon they appointed him a great sophister-doctor, called Maître Tubal Holophernes, who taught him his A B C so well that he could say it by heart backward; and about this he was five years and three months. —  The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to Prose, Vol. VII (of X)—Continental Europe I
  • I, who stood by and heard all, saw immediately that one of them was a crafty old sophister, and the other a mere novice. —  Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
  • At Oxford the youth must have taken part in disputations for a year as "general sophister," and must have "responded" at least once, before taking the A.B. or before "Determination," which was the equivalent of the A.B. Prospective masters must have responded at least twice. —  Readings in the History of Education Mediaeval Universities
  • The father of lies is a cunning sophister, and knoweth, how to shake their grounds and cast all loose 3. —  Christ: The Way, the Truth, and the Life
  • Thou art bold to affirm that God takes no care for Me, but thou art a deceitful and false corrupt sophister, and thy argument, too, is vain, and full of blasphemies; for thou bindest God's love, mercy, and providence to the having or wanting of bodily provision, which no part of God's Scriptures teach us, but rather the express contrary. —  The World's Great Sermons, Volume 01 Basil to Calvin
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Etymologies (2)

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  1. from Middle English sophister, sofyster, from Old French *sophistre, a variant of sophiste, a sophist: see sophist. The termination -er is unoriginal. as in philosopher.
  2. from sophister, n.
 

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