praetorian
[adjective]
Synonyms: corrupt, mercenary, unethical, unprincipled, unscrupulous, venal
[noun]
Synonyms: diehard, bitter-ender, conservative, fundamentalist, old liner, rightist, right-winger, standpat, standpatter, tory

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

praetorian adjective & noun. [pri:'tɔ:rɪǝn] Also pretorian. LME.
[Latin praetorianus, from praetor: see PRAETOR, -IAN.]
Roman History.
A. adjective.
1. Designating or belonging to (a soldier of) the bodyguard of a Roman military commander or the Roman Emperor. Freq. in praetorian guard. LME.

2. Of or pertaining to a Roman praetor or his position. L16.
■ E. Poste Another guardian..called a praetorian guardian, because he was appointed by the praetor of the city.
b. transf. Of or pertaining to a judge, court, etc., analogous to that of the praetor of ancient Rome. Now rare or obsolete. E17.
b. noun.
1. A soldier of the praetorian guard. E17.
■ A. Duggan Only legionaries of good character were chosen for the Praetorians.
b. fig. A member of a group or class that seeks to defend an established system. M17.

2. A person of praetorian rank. M18.

■ praetorianism noun a system like that of the Roman praetorian organization; military despotism: L19.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲