five-faced bishop: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very LowLiterary/Historical
Quick answer
What does “five-faced bishop” mean?
A hypocritical or duplicitous religious leader.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A hypocritical or duplicitous religious leader; someone who presents a pious façade while acting unethically.
Any person in a position of moral or spiritual authority who is deceitful, insincere, or shows contradictory faces to different people.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare and archaic in both varieties. The chess problem (the 'Five-Faced Bishop') and its metaphorical extension are known primarily in British literary/historical contexts, but the term itself is not part of active vocabulary in either region.
Connotations
Conveys strong moral condemnation, intellectual allusion, and a historical/literary tone.
Frequency
Extremely rare. Almost never encountered outside of discussions of specific historical texts, chess history, or as an esoteric metaphor.
Grammar
How to Use “five-faced bishop” in a Sentence
He was [considered/seen as] a five-faced bishop.The scandal revealed him to be a five-faced bishop.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “five-faced bishop” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not used as a verb.
American English
- Not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- He was dismissed for his five-faced-bishop behaviour.
American English
- She uncovered his five-faced-bishop tactics.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Possible in historical or literary analysis discussing metaphors for hypocrisy.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
In historical chess discourse, referring to a specific problem piece that could represent multiple bishops.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “five-faced bishop”
- Using it as a literal descriptor for a bishop with five facial features. *'The portrait showed a five-faced bishop.' is incorrect for the idiom.
- Using it in modern, casual contexts where 'hypocrite' or 'two-faced' is appropriate.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an extremely rare and archaic literary term. Common synonyms are 'hypocrite' or 'two-faced'.
No, it is exclusively metaphorical. It originates from a chess problem and denotes hypocrisy, not a physical description.
Only with caution, in very specific contexts such as historical or literary analysis where the term itself or the concept it represents is the subject of discussion.
The 'Five-Faced Bishop' refers to a chess problem where a single bishop, through its positioning and potential moves, is considered to have the influence or value of multiple bishops. This metaphorical idea of one piece having multiple identities was applied to people.
A hypocritical or duplicitous religious leader.
Five-faced bishop is usually literary/historical in register.
Five-faced bishop: in British English it is pronounced /ˌfaɪv.feɪst ˈbɪʃ.əp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌfaɪv.feɪst ˈbɪʃ.əp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To wear the mitre of a five-faced bishop (meaning to hypocritically hold a position of religious authority).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a chessboard with one bishop pretending to be five different pieces – a leader showing a different 'face' or allegiance to every faction.
Conceptual Metaphor
HYPOCRISY IS A MULTI-FACED OBJECT / MORAL CORRUPTION IS A FALSE GAME PIECE.
Practice
Quiz
In which context might you encounter the term 'five-faced bishop'?