to be more catholic than the pope

1 definition found

to be more catholic than the pope - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Pope \Pope\ (p[=o]p), n. [AS. p[=a]pa, L. papa father, bishop.
     Cf. Papa, Papal.]
     1. Any ecclesiastic, esp. a bishop. [Obs.] --Foxe.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The bishop of Rome, the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
        See Note under Cardinal.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A parish priest, or a chaplain, of the Greek Church.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Zool.) A fish; the ruff.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Pope Joan, a game at cards played on a round board with
        compartments.
  
     Pope's eye, the gland surrounded with fat in the middle of
        the thigh of an ox or sheep. --R. D. Blackmore.
  
     Pope's nose, the rump, or uropygium, of a bird. See
        Uropygium.
  
     to be more Catholic than the Pope to adhere more
        stringently to Roman Catholic practices and doctrine than
        is required by church doctrine; -- usually used in a
        negative sense to mean, to be excessively pious.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]