Hypertext Webster Gateway: "scapegoat"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Scapegoat
Lev. 16:8-26; R.V., "the goat for Azazel" (q.v.), the name given
to the goat which was taken away into the wilderness on the day
of Atonement (16:20-22). The priest made atonement over the
scapegoat, laying Israel's guilt upon it, and then sent it away,
the goat bearing "upon him all their iniquities unto a land not
inhabited."
At a later period an evasion or modification of the law of
Moses was introduced by the Jews. "The goat was conducted to a
mountain named Tzuk, situated at a distance of ten Sabbath days'
journey, or about six and a half English miles, from Jerusalem.
At this place the Judean desert was supposed to commence; and
the man in whose charge the goat was sent out, while setting him
free, was instructed to push the unhappy beast down the slope of
the mountain side, which was so steep as to insure the death of
the goat, whose bones were broken by the fall. The reason of
this barbarous custom was that on one occasion the scapegoat
returned to Jerusalem after being set free, which was considered
such an evil omen that its recurrence was prevented for the
future by the death of the goat" (Twenty-one Years' Work in the
Holy Land). This mountain is now called el-Muntar.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Scapegoat \Scape"goat`\, n. [Scape (for escape) + goat.]
1. (Jewish Antiq.) A goat upon whose head were symbolically
placed the sins of the people, after which he was suffered
to escape into the wilderness. --Lev. xvi. 10.
2. Hence, a person or thing that is made to bear blame for
others. --Tennyson.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
scapegoat
n : someone punished for the errors of others [syn: {whipping
boy}]
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