Philistine

a policeman. The German students call all townspeople not of their body “Phi lister,” as ours say “cads.” The departing student says, mournfully, in one of the Burs chen lieder— “Mu selber nun Phi lister sein!” i.e. , “I must now myself Philistine be!” Also, a man who is of a set opposed to one’s own. Society is supposed to regard all outside its bounds as belonging to the Philistine world. Bohemians regard all cleanly, orderly people who conform to conventionality as Philistines .