Search the Dictionary

A bird of the Heron family; the umber.

ifications in one's speech so as to avoid committing one's self to anything definite. The Heroic Stanzas read much more like an elaborate attempt to hedge between the parties than . . . to gain favor from the Roundheads. Saintsbury.

A hero, fabled to have been the son of Jupiter and Alcmena, and celebrated for great strength, esp. for the accomplishment of his twelve great tasks or "labors."

A heron; esp., the common European heron. "A stately hern." Trench.

Heronshaw. [Obs.] Spenser.

pose obstacles or impediments; to be a hindrance. This objection hinders not but that the heroic action of some commander . . . may be written. Dryden.

Lustful; lewd; lecherous. Shak.

To love to excess; to love or reverence to adoration; as, to idolize gold, children, a hero.

Sacrifices offered to the souls of deceased heroes or friends.

Lying in wait; watching an opportunity to insnare or entrap; deceitful; sly; treacherous; -- said of persons; as, the insidious foe. "The insidious witch." Cowper.

and illicit love affair between two persons of different sexes; an amour; a liaison. The hero of a comedy is represented victorious in all his intrigues. Swift.

. Agamemnon found it an invidious affair to give the preference to any one of the Grecian heroes. Broome. -- In*vid"i*ous*ly, adv. -- In*vid"i*ous*ness, n.

uth, through eastern Pennsylvania, to Maryland; that of the southern tribes, of whom the Cherokees were chief, formed part of Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. All of the tribes were agricultural, and they were noted for large, communal houses, palisaded towns, and ability to organize, as well…

ffice, one who has been in office and is turned out. Shak. -- Jack the Giant Killer, the hero of a well-known nursery story. -- Jack-with-a-lantern, Jack-o'-lantern. (a) An ignis fatuus; a will-o'-the-wisp. "[Newspaper speculations] supplying so many more jack-o'-lanterns to the future historian." Lowell. (b) A lante…

The hero of the book of that name in the Old Testament; the typical patient man. Job's comforter. (a) A false friend; a tactless or malicious person who, under pretense of sympathy, insinuates rebukes. (b) A boil. [Colloq.] -- Job's news, bad news. Carlyle. -- Job's tears (Bot.), a kind of grass (Coix Lacryma), with h…

The disciple who betrayed Christ. Hence: A treacherous person; one who betrays under the semblance of friendship. -- a.

a ball with a bat; to knock the head against a post; to knock a lamp off the table. When heroes knock their knotty heads together. Rowe.

The rule of the judges over Israel. Samson, Jephthah, Gideon, and other heroes of the kritarchy. Southey.

for a state or community; a member of a legislative body. The legislators in ancient and heroical times. Bacon. Many of the legislators themselves had taken an oath of abjuration of his Majesty's person and family. E. Phillips.

lecherous; lustful. Robert of Brunne. -- Lick"er*ish*ly, adv. -- Lick"er*ish*ness, n.