- Home
- Idioms
- wolf in sheep's clothing
wolf in sheep's clothing
wolf in sheep's clothing
Fig. a dangerous person pretending to be harmless. Carla thought the handsome stranger was gentle and kind, but Susan suspected he was a wolf in sheep's clothing. Mimi: Why shouldn't I go out with David? He's the nicest man I've ever met. Alan: He's a wolf in sheep's clothing, Mimi. Can't you tell?
wolf in sheep's clothing
An enemy disguised as a friend, as in Dan was a wolf in sheep's clothing, pretending to help but all the while spying for our competitors . This term comes from the ancient fable about a wolf that dresses up in the skin of a sheep and sneaks up on a flock. This fable has given rise to a rich history of allusions as in the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus speaks of false prophets in sheep's clothing, "but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matthew 7:15).
wolf in sheep's clothing
One who feigns congeniality while actually holding malevolent intentions.
Common Names:
Name | Gender | Pronounced | Usage |
Charna | | - | Yiddish |
Annabella | | ahn-nah-BEL-lah (Italian), an-ə-BEL-ə (English) | Italian, English (Modern) |
Sung-Jin | | sung-jeen | Korean |
Oksana | | ahk-SAH-nah (Russian) | Ukrainian, Russian |
Baltazar | | - | Judeo-Christian Legend |
Vasile | | - | Romanian |