# What does ‘a wolf in sheep's clothing’ mean?

To “a wolf in sheep's clothing” means to a dangerous person disguised as harmless. The phrase comes from the Gospel of Matthew (7:15). Brewer's Dictionary lists it among the biblical proverbs that have entered common English.

## What it means

- The phrase comes from the Gospel of Matthew (7:15). Brewer's Dictionary lists it among the biblical proverbs that have entered common English.

## Action steps

1. Used for hypocrites, con artists, and outwardly friendly threats.
2. Example: That lender looked helpful but turned out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing.

## Sources

- [Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — Internet Archive scan](https://archive.org/details/brewers-dictionary-of-phrase-and-fable)

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