Also 6 -ace. [a. L. Jūdas, a. Gr. Ἰούδας, ad. Heb. y’hūdāh Judah, name of one of the sons of Jacob, whence a common name among the later Jews, e.g., of Judas Maccabæus, and two of the disciples of Christ, of whom one is in Eng. commonly called (St.) Jude, Judas being retained for Judas Iscariot. Cf. F. Judas, with transferred uses as in Eng.]
1. The name of the disciple who betrayed Jesus Christ; hence allusively (cf. ISCARIOT): One who treacherously betrays under the semblance of friendship; a traitor or betrayer of the worst kind.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, ix. 209. I … shall be therfore taken all my lyffe as a Iudas [for betraying the sons of Aymon].
1539. Taverner, Erasm. Prov. (1545), 150. Inwardly very Iudasses.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., III. ii. 132. Three Iudasses, each one thrice worse then Iudas.
1643. Prynne, Sov. Power Parl., App. 216. Such unnaturall monsters, such trayterous Judasses, such execrable infamous Apostates as these.
1898. J. Arch, Story of Life, xvi. 385. Those who were no better than Judases.
2. (More fully Judas of the Paschal): see quot. 1877. Now Hist.
[1402–3. Mem. Ripon (Surtees), III. 212. Et in j Judas de novo facto ad serviendum in choro per iij dies … 3s. 4d.]
1453. Acc., in Sharp, Cov. Myst. (1825), 190. iiij newe torches & iiij judasses. Ibid. (1476), 189. A new bolle to the Judas ijd.
1511. Churchw. Acc. St. Mary at Hill (Nichols, 1797), 107. Mem. that the judas of the pascal [printed pastal], i.e. the tymbre that the wax of the pascal [pr. pastel] is driuen upon weigheth 7 lb.
1520. Churchw. Acc. St. Giles, Reading, 10. For makyng a Judas for the Pascale 1d.
1566. in Peacock, Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866), 77. Item albes paxes Iudaces with suche trifelinge tromperey—made awaie wee knowe not howe.
1877. Acc. Ld. H. Treas. Scot., I. Gloss. 421. The paschal candlestick in churches, which was usually of brass, had seven branches, from the seventh or middle one of which a tall thick piece of wood, painted like a candle, and called the Judas of the Paschal, rose nearly to the roof, and on the top of this was placed at Eastertide the paschal candle of wax.
3. A small lattice or aperture in a door (in some old houses, or in prison cells), through which a person can look without being noticed from the other side; a peep-hole.
1865. [see JUDAS-HOLE in 4].
1883. J. D. Osborne, in Century Mag., Nov., 74/2. A thick oaken door with a judas. G. Kennan, in Ibid. (1888), Feb., 522/2. This contrivance … known to the political prisoners as the ‘Judas,’ enables the guard to look into the cell at any time without attracting the attention of the occupant. Ibid., 527/2. The guard peeped through the ‘Judas’ and discovered what the prisoner was doing.
4. attrib. and Comb. a. Like Judas Iscariot or his character or conduct, traitorous, as Judas attack, Jew, kiss, trick, etc. b. Special Combs.: Judas-blossom, the blossom of the JUDAS-TREE (q.v.); † Judas candlestick (see 2); Judas-colo(u)r, Judas-colo(u)red a. (of the hair or beard) red (from the mediæval belief that Judas Iscariot had red hair and beard); † Judas cup, an ornamental cup used in mediæval times on Maundy Thursday; Judas-hole, Judas-trap = sense 3; Judas-like a. and adv., like Judas, treacherous, treacherously.
a. c. 1590. Robin Conscience, 134, in Hazl., E. P. P., III. 235. That yov haue giuen him many a Jvdas kisse.
1655. H. Vaughan, Silex Scint., Rules & Lessons, 45. Who sels Religion, is a Judas Jew.
1875. Dental Cosmos (U.S.), XVII. 533. The convention … had outlived all the Judas attacks which had been made upon it.
b. 1566. in Peacock, Eng. Ch. Furniture (1866), 118. Item one sepulcre and one *Judas candlestick—sold.
[c. 1594. Kyd, Sp. Trag., in Hazl., Dodsley, V. 121. And let their beards be of *Judas his own colour.]
1695. Motteux, St. Olon’s Morocco, 124. Observations on the Judas-colour of his Beard and Hair.
1673. Dryden, Amboyna, I. i. There’s treachery in that *Judas-coloured beard.
1879. Dowden, Southey, iv. 97. An ugly specimen of the streaked-carroty or Judas-coloured kind.
1593. Anc. Mon. Durham (Surtees), 68. A goodly great Mazer, called *Judas cup … used but on Maunday Thursday at night in the Frater House.
1865. Daily Tel., 9 Nov., 6/6. The man … you may see through the *Judas-hole when you make a round of the Model Prison with the visiting magistrates.
c. 1675. Roxb. Ball. (1891), VII. 353. He gave me a *Judas-like kiss.
1677. Horneck, Gt. Law Consid., vi. (1704), 318. Shall I, (Judas-like), kiss thee and betray thee?
1886. Illustr. Lond. News, 4 Dec., 598/3. The small *Judas-trap in a window.
Hence (nonce-wds.) Judasian a., of the character of Judas; Judasite, a follower of Judas (opprobriously used for ‘Jesuit’).
1605. Willet, Hexapla Gen., 184. Some rebellious and traiterous popish preists and Judasites.
1877. Ruskin, Fors Clav., VII. 326. Learn what these mean, Judasian Dives, if it may be.
