Hypertext Webster Gateway: "publican"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Publican
one who farmed the taxes (e.g., Zacchaeus, Luke 19:2) to be
levied from a town or district, and thus undertook to pay to the
supreme government a certain amount. In order to collect the
taxes, the publicans employed subordinates (5:27; 15:1; 18:10),
who, for their own ends, were often guilty of extortion and
peculation. In New Testament times these taxes were paid to the
Romans, and hence were regarded by the Jews as a very heavy
burden, and hence also the collectors of taxes, who were
frequently Jews, were hated, and were usually spoken of in very
opprobrious terms. Jesus was accused of being a "friend of
publicans and sinners" (Luke 7:34).
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Publican \Pub"li*can\, n. [L. publicanus: cf. F. publicain. See
{Public}.]
1. (Rom. Antiq.) A farmer of the taxes and public revenues;
hence, a collector of toll or tribute. The inferior
officers of this class were often oppressive in their
exactions, and were regarded with great detestation.
As Jesus at meat . . . many publicans and sinners
came and sat down with him and his disciples.
--Matt. 1x.
10.
How like a fawning publican he looks! --Shak.
2. The keeper of an inn or public house; one licensed to
retail beer, spirits, or wine.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
publican
n : (British) the keeper of a public house [syn: {tavern keeper}]
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