Obs. Also cafart, caffard. [F. cafard, caphard, of doubtful origin: some have proposed to identify it with Cat. cafre infidel, Sp., Pg. cafre cruel, which are app. ad. Arab. kāfir: see CAFFRE.] A hypocrite, an impostor.

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1539.  St. Papers Hen. VIII., I. 593. We commoned of the cafart, Cornibus, that slaunderose frere.

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1653.  Urquhart, Rabelais, I. xlv. (1664), 201. So did a certaine Cafard or dissembling religionarie preach at Sinay, that [etc.].
    Ibid., I. liv. (1664), 236.

        Curst snakes, dissembled varlers, seeming Sancts,
Slipshod caffards, beggers pretending wants.

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