What does the phraseological unit mean wolf in sheep's clothing. A wolf in sheep's clothing - what does it mean? Signs that someone is a wolf in sheep's clothing

Work in any competitive field long enough and you're bound to run into a wolf in sheep's clothing. This is a powerful image.

The shepherd watches over his flock to protect them from harm. He drives away any predator that tries to break into the flock. A clever wolf, dressed in sheep skin as a disguise, can slip past a vigilant shepherd and enter the herd undetected.

This story is not just a colorful description. This is a warning to everyone, reminding that a wolf in sheep's clothing may be near. He may seem innocent, but he has ulterior motives. He will use different tactics to disguise his intentions.

A person who is kind to you but talks you behind your back is a wolf in disguise. A wolf in sheep's clothing can steal your idea and then pass it off as his own to get a reward.

Wearing a disguise has its advantages

People don't manipulate others unless they get something out of it. Hiding their intentions gives wolves the ability to manipulate other people in order to advance their own goals. They know that what they are trying to do will not be popular if they are honest.

They will be able to do what they want with less hindrance if they act. Until people figure out the true motives, the wolf will already have what he wants. This is why it is so important to recognize a lie in time.

Signs that someone is a wolf in sheep's clothing

They live to take, but not to share. Wolves use humans as stepping stones to get what they want. They don't care what happens to anyone else. A wolf at work can make you look bad during a presentation, to make you appear better against someone else's background.

Wolves seem cute on the outside, but they will show you their teeth. If the wolves reveal their true identity, people will not contact them. They develop a friendly image, but they cannot maintain it 24/7. Eventually, they will reveal their aggressive qualities. A wealthy person who loves to break the law can make significant charitable donations to convince people that he is kind and caring. These donations pretty much save him the trouble, but they don't change his essence.

Professional manipulators

Wolves manipulate emotions to get what they want. Wolves know they can advance by appealing to your emotions. They will know what you need and give you enough to keep you calm and obedient. Imagine that your boss is a wolf in sheep's clothing and you want to ask for a vacation. He may try to play on your guilt and insecurity so you can skip vacation or take fewer days off.

The wolf will charm you first. Wolves are experts at manipulating the people around them. They are interested in what you do, but you get the impression that they don't care.

It may be a colleague who has chosen to be your friend, but eventually he will dump all responsibility on you.

Wolf methods

When they see that you are upset, they will surprise you with something to charm you further. Then they will continue to do whatever they want.

Their stories are full of holes. A direct question is the surest way to make them squirm. When this person tries to come up with a story, he improvises. A classic example of this is significant differences in readings.

How to find a wolf

Study how they react in certain situations, or try to create a suitable situation to see how they react.

A candidate for a vacant position may tell you that he is always positive and thinks of himself as a team player. This is what every employer wants to hear. During the interview, ask candidates to work in groups to solve the problem, to see how they deal with the situation. Positioning himself as a team player must be able not only to give orders, but also to cooperate with teammates.

The wolf will tell you everything that ultimately benefits him. Collect evidence to prove or disprove this and see what happens. Chances are, when you are working for the same result that he wants, he will act like your best friend. If you disagree, he will become aggressive.

How to be?

Trying to breed a potential wolf, especially if you are one of the sheep, can get you in some trouble. The pretense will end, and real aggression can replace it.

There is nothing wrong with asking questions to reveal the truth. The safety of everyone in your group is at risk. Since wolves often make up stories, ask for details, ask again.

Since wolves always pretend to be someone they are not, they usually don't have a well-thought-out reason for what they say. During the discussion, the wolves will not understand the root of the problem.

They can also tell you what you want to hear, but when asked for additional information, they have nothing to add. Their knowledge is superficial.

Wolves everywhere

We want to believe that everyone has the best intentions, but this is not always the case.

A wolf in sheep's clothing can be found in almost any setting. You cannot get rid of it, but it is within your power to discover it. This means you can avoid falling into the traps.

It seems to us that this catch phrase has always existed. But in fact, its primary source is the Gospel of Matthew.

It was there that the words of Christ first sounded: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

The Savior uttered this phrase during the Sermon on the Mount, in which the main tenets of His teaching were voiced. It is obvious that Christ paid special attention to the danger of false prophets, and this is not accidental.

In the first century AD, the Jews expected the coming of their promised Messiah. And, of course, there were quite a few who wanted to impersonate Him. Some were just a fraud, while others sincerely believed that they had the right to speak on behalf of God. Prophets and impostors literally flooded the country.

Christians believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the real Messiah, but how did they distinguish Him from other false teachers?

The fact is that the very preaching of Jesus was unique. Unlike Him, false prophets called people not to the Kingdom of God, but to achieve ordinary earthly goals. For example, to rebellion against the rule of Rome. As a result, their sermons ended in senseless violence and death of people ... Seeking salvation not in God, but in human power, they doomed themselves and their followers to death and oblivion.

After the Resurrection of Christ, one of the wisest and most respected Jewish Pharisee rabbis, Gamaliel, urged fellow believers not to persecute Christians. He reminded about the fate of the false prophets of that time, saying: "If this is a human deed, it will be destroyed by itself, and if God's work, nothing can destroy it."

And so it happened. The gospel survived despite all attempts to destroy Christianity. Followers of Christ outnumber all other religions in the world. Well, the names of the false prophets have been forgotten, or known only to specialist historians.

However, despite this, the words of the Savior from the Sermon on the Mount have not lost their relevance to this day. After all, people who cover their dangerous ideas with beautiful words, and sometimes in the name of God, are enough, alas, even today.

Therefore, learning to distinguish them is one of the main tasks for a Christian.

Wolf in sheep's clothing

Spread. Disapproved. About a hypocrite who hides his evil intentions under the guise of virtue. BTS, 146, 1500; SHZF 2001, 42. / i\u003e Ascends to the Gospel. FSRYa, 76; F 1, 73; DP, 50; BMS 1998, 94-95.

A large dictionary of Russian sayings. - M: Olma Media Group. V. M. Mokienko, T. G. Nikitina. 2007 .

See what the "Wolf in sheep's clothing" is in other dictionaries:

From the Bible .. In the Gospel of Matthew (ch. 7, v. 15) it is said: "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Allegorically: about a hypocrite, about an insidious person who pretends to be kind, complacent. ... ... Dictionary of winged words and expressions

See hypocrite ... Dictionary of Russian synonyms and expressions similar in meaning. under. ed. N. Abramova, M .: Russian dictionaries, 1999. wolf in sheep's clothing n., Number of synonyms: 5 ... Synonym dictionary

WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING - who is an Angry, ferocious person pretending to be meek and harmless, a dangerous hypocrite. It means that the person (X) hides his true goals, his own cruelty under the guise of gentleness and kindness. Spoken with disapproval. informal. ✦ X wolf in sheep's ... Phraseological dictionary of the Russian language

Wolf in sheep's clothing - wings. sl. The expression arose from the Gospel: "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matt. 7, 15). It is used as a characteristic of a hypocrite who hides his evil intentions under a mask ... ... Universal Additional Practical Explanatory Dictionary of I. Mostitsky

wolf in sheep's clothing - disapproved. about a hypocrite who hides his evil intentions under the guise of virtue. The expression goes back to the text of the Gospel: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Matthew 7: 15) ... Phraseology reference

wolf in sheep's clothing - About a hypocrite, a person who hides his bad intentions, actions under the guise of virtue ... Dictionary of many expressions

Wolf in sheepskin - Outdated. A person who covers his bad intentions, actions with a mask of virtue, a hypocrite; Wolf in sheep's clothing. No, not worthy, Fr. decided. Spiridon. What a shepherd I am ... A wolf in sheep's clothing, not a shepherd (Mamin Sibiryak. The temptation of Fr. Spiridon) ... Phraseological dictionary of the Russian literary language

Art is half sacred. Wed You then, I think ... they honored me: they wanted to bring a swindler, a wolf in sheep's clothing, they say, under criminal law .... Boborykin. Vasily Terkin. 2, 4. Cf. In the close, evil thoughts are visible, The wolf is noble in the wool of the sheep. Lomonosov.… … Michelson's Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary

- (or: skin). Wolf in sheepskin. See EXTRAORDINARY PREGNANCY Wolf in a sheep's coat (skin). Wolf under the sheepskin. See DIRECT DEAD ...

See To know the wolf in a sheep's coat ... IN AND. Dahl. Russian proverbs

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