Also 45 ante-, 47 anticrist, (4 ancrist, 5 ancryst), 6 antycryst, antechriste. [a. OFr. antecrist(e, ad. L. antechrīstus, a. Gr. ἀντίχρῑστος (1 John ii. 18), f. ἀντί against + χρῑστός CHRIST.]
1. An enemy or opponent of Christ.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 4227. Fals anticristes he sal þam calle.
1382. Wyclif, 1 John ii. 18. Now many antecristes ben made.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 54. Ilk one contrary to Crist is anticrist.
1579. Fulke, Heskinss Parl., 255. He is defamed of more than heresie, and proued to be an antichrist.
1646. Gaule, Cases Consc., 20. A Witch is an Anticrist.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Jews, Infidels, etc., may be said to be Antichrists.
1860. Pusey, Min. Proph., 587. The first Anti-Christ, Simon Magus, was said to have met his death in some attempt to fly.
2. The title of a great personal opponent of Christ and His kingdom, expected by the early church to appear before the end of the world, and much referred to in the Middle Ages.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 22006. Nu sal yee her, i wil you rede, Hu þat anticrist [v.r. antecrist] sal brede.
1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 4065. Anticrist ar þat tyme sal noght com. Ibid., 3996. Of ancrist commyng, and his pousté.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. lxxx. (1495), 914. The egges of adders ben wonder yelowe, slimy and gleymy: and of thyse egges comyth Cokatrice: and of the venemous juys shall come Antecrist.
a. 1500. in Wright, Voc., 217. Hic antechristus, ancryst.
1509. Fisher, Wks. (1876), 192. God shal make shorte the tyme of Antecryst.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath. (1839), 552. He handleth the question, whether the Pope be Antichrist?
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., Hippolitus and others held that the devil himself was the true Antichrist, that he was to be incarnate, and make his appearance in human shape before the consummation of things.
1791. DIsraeli, Cur. Lit. (1834), VI. 247. There were to be three Anti-Christs, and the last should be born in the year 1790.
1856. R. Vaughan, Mystics, I. 143. The Franciscans think that we live in, or near, the days of Antichrist.
b. Applied by some to the Pope or Papal power.
c. 1370. Wyclif, Agst. Begging Friers (1608), 24. This false heresie and tyrantrie of Antichrist.
1566. Let. Ch. Scot. to Eng. Ch., 27 Dec., 91. The Bishops and Pastors of England, who have renounced the Roman Antichrist.
1641. Milton, Ch. Govt., vi. (1851), 123. That irreconcileable schisme of perdition and Apostasy, the Roman Antichrist.
1868. Milman, St. Pauls, x. 247. Against that antichrist the Pope.
fig. 1728. Pope, Dunc., II. 12. Rome in her capitol saw Querno sit, Thrond on sevn hills, the Antichrist of wit.