priest-ridden

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From priest +‎ -ridden.

Adjective

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priest-ridden (comparative more priest-ridden, superlative most priest-ridden)

  1. Dominated or plagued by priests.
    • 1691, William Carr, An Accurate Description of the United Netherlands, and of the Most Considerable Parts of Germany, Sweden, & Denmark[1], London: Timothy Childe, page 83:
      Cologne [] is much decayed within these Hundred Years, having been much Priest-ridden; a Misfortune that hath undone many other great Cities. The Jesuits have had so great Influence upon the Magistrates, that they prevailed with them to banish all Protestants []
    • 1726, William Rufus Chetwood, The Voyages and Adventures of Captain Robert Boyle, London: J. Watts, 3rd edition, 1735, p. 150,[2]
      The Father finding the Man had too much Understanding to be Priest-ridden, thought it his best way to hold his Tongue.
    • 1873, Bret Harte, “The Adventure of Padre Vicentio”, in Mrs. Skaggs’s Husbands, and Other Sketches[3], Boston: James R. Osgood, page 302:
      [] Padre Vicentio incautiously drove his heavy spurs into the flanks of his mule as that puzzled animal was hesitating on the brink of a steep declivity. Whether the poor beast was indignant at this novel outrage, or had been for some time reflecting on the evils of being priest-ridden, has not transpired; enough that he suddenly threw up his heels, pitching the reverend man over his head, and, having accomplished this feat, coolly dropped on his knees and tumbled after his rider.
    • 1916 December 29, James Joyce, chapter V, in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, New York, N.Y.: B[enjamin] W. Huebsch, →OCLC, page 1:
      We are an unfortunately priestridden race and always were and always will be till the end of the chapter.