benevolent overlord

English

Pronunciation

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Noun

benevolent overlord (plural benevolent overlords)

1. (idiomatic) A person in a position of power who does not act tyrannically.
   • 1990, Hisao Kimura with Scott Berry, Japanese agent in Tibet: my ten years of travel in disguise, page 103:

     Ever since our benevolent overlords, the Japanese, began to panic everything has been all turned around.

   • 2007, Lara Adrian, Kiss of Midnight, page 279:

     Look, the benevolent overlord attitude might have gone a lot further for you back in the day, but don't even think you can use it on me.

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:benevolent overlord.